Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Daniel, William, and Lancelot arrive in Sloth City for Great Demon King Belial’s seventieth-thousandth birthday celebration.
• Daniel’s fearsome reputation precedes him: centuries earlier, he became a Legendary Hell Knight in a single day and later killed more than thirty Legendary opponents. His display of strength lets the group move through the Dark World without being challenged.
• Sloth City is a vast, oppressive stronghold built beside a volcano and governed by Belial. Its strict order coexists with cruelty, enslavement, and abuse. Belial’s wider domain commands an enormous military force, leaving Lancelot newly aware of the Dark World’s scale.
• Daniel refuses the advances of an Epic Succubus and tells William and Lancelot to keep a low profile in their rooms for three days. At the birthday banquet, they will follow a planned route to destroy their target while Daniel draws off anyone who pursues them.
• Lancelot questions why the Church would assign Daniel to protect them when Daniel seems more powerful than either of them. Daniel explains that his nature as a Hell Knight prevents him from becoming a Saint or Dark Lord, and says the future rests with the younger men.
• Daniel privately resolves to fight openly at last. He plans to kill at least ten Legendary Demons during the coming operation and hints that he hopes to discover whether a Dark Lord can bleed.

Character developments

• Daniel reveals that beneath his fearsome, battle-hungry persona lies loyalty to humanity and a long-held desire for revenge. His family died in a massacre, and he carries the grief of tens of millions of his people. He is willing to sacrifice himself for William and Lancelot.
• Lancelot feels alarmed by the Dark World’s immense strength but remains committed to destroying the contract. Daniel identifies him as the Light Child, whose potential could make him a champion against darkness.
• William appears self-interested and ruthless, but Daniel sees that he quietly improves life for his people and strengthens those around him. Daniel regards this hidden compassion as evidence of his kindness.

Character interactions

• Daniel leads and protects William and Lancelot, coaching them to speak little so they do not expose themselves among demons.
• The Succubus’s attempts to seduce all three fail: Daniel rejects her coldly, while William and Lancelot also refuse.
• Daniel’s candid praise and final declaration deepen his bond with his companions, while his promise to hold back their pursuers establishes him as their shield.

Significant themes

• Power and survival: In Hell, strength must be displayed; the weak submit, and respect is enforced through fear.
• Hidden goodness and identity: Daniel’s apparent brutality and William’s apparent selfishness conceal loyalty and compassion.
• Duty and sacrifice: Daniel accepts that he may die so younger champions can carry on the struggle.
• Hope against overwhelming darkness: Despite the Dark World’s vast military power, Daniel believes Lancelot and William can help turn the tide.

Key plot points and events

• William and Lancelot spend three days hiding in Belial’s Palace, avoiding food and water and pretending to consume what the servants bring.
• As Belial’s birthday celebration begins, the Seventy-Two Gods and Demons arrive. The twenty most powerful Dark Lords radiate menace, while the rest of the Legendary guests kneel to greet Belial.
• Belial’s rule is precarious: he bound his powerful followers with an old contract, but they resent him and seem ready to rebel. He tries to force a cheerful atmosphere at the banquet.
• Using their escape-route knowledge, William and Lancelot secretly tunnel from the guesthouse toward the magma beneath Belial’s chambers, avoiding statues that serve as surveillance.
• William’s practiced digging gets them to their target in minutes. Lancelot protects them with magic formations as they open a fissure and dive into the magma.
• After searching the magma and collecting Fire Crystals, William finds the crystal coffin containing Belial’s contract. He breaks the coffin, grabs the Dragonhide Contract, and crushes it.
• At that same moment, the banquet atmosphere freezes and all twenty Dark Lords attack.

Character developments

• William shows impressive preparation, speed, and composure, relying on his extensive training and memorized route. He also collects Fire Crystals despite the danger, and ultimately destroys the contract.
• Lancelot supports the plan by checking the route, setting protective formations, and helping manage the risks. He is impressed by William’s skill and determination.
• Belial is revealed as powerful but politically vulnerable. He knows his followers resent him and regrets that his contract failed to control them more completely.

Significant themes

• Preparation and teamwork: Their success depends on training, planning, and coordinated use of their abilities.
• Power and control: Belial’s contract preserves his rule but cannot command genuine loyalty.
• Risk and sacrifice: The pair endure magma, depleted mana, and danger to reach the contract and advance their larger cause.
• Secrecy and deception: They hide their supplies, avoid surveillance, and act while the powerful guests are distracted.

Character interactions

• William and Lancelot communicate through linked Mental Strength, sharing observations and coordinating the escape plan; their partnership combines William’s execution with Lancelot’s guidance and protection.
• Belial addresses his guests casually and demands smiles, while they obey outwardly despite their hostility.
• The chapter ends with the Dark Lords’ coordinated attack, triggered by the destruction of Belial’s contract.

Chapter Summary: “One Blade”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Twenty Dark Lords launch a simultaneous attack on Belial, but he effortlessly blocks them and opens a spatial rift to move the battle away from his territory. The remaining demons erupt into a massive melee, destroying Belial’s palace and much of the surrounding area.
• Before the battle begins, Belial orders his Legendary subordinates to pursue the Seventy-Two Demon Gods who broke free of their contracts. He also sends forces after the two Epic demons responsible for destroying the contract: William and Lancelot.
• Daniel blocks more than twenty Legendary demons from reaching Belial’s bedchamber. Using his sword and the Microcosm Realm, he kills ten Legendary demons in ten seconds, with each opponent destroyed by a single strike.
• The surviving demons recognize that Daniel’s combat awareness resembles that of a saint and that his blade may be even more dangerous than a Holy Weapon. However, Daniel’s state is temporary; after ten seconds, he is coughing blood and nearing his limit.
• As another group of demons attacks, Daniel unleashes a final, overwhelming blade strike. His attack manifests a horrifying spiritual realm of corpses and blood, trapping his enemies in despair. The strike appears to let him briefly step into the Saint Realm.
• Meanwhile, William and Lancelot flee through underground magma after destroying Belial’s contract. They kill an awakened Epic Flame Demon who obstructs their path and continue toward a spatial portal.
• The pair reaches a small city near the portal. The local City Lord mistakenly assumes the distant battle is spreading toward them and flees alongside them. William and Lancelot escape through the portal, while Daniel’s enormous blood-red blade light continues to illuminate the battlefield behind them.

Character Developments

• Belial: Demonstrates overwhelming strength by defending against twenty Dark Lords and relocating the battle. His confidence and authority remain intact, but his palace and territory are destroyed, and he becomes determined to identify the traitors responsible for breaking his contract.
• Daniel: Reveals extraordinary swordsmanship and a combat state associated with saints. His mastery of the Microcosm Realm allows him to move efficiently, perceive enemies as slow, and kill opponents of the same rank with minimal effort. Though physically exhausted, he uses his final attack to protect William and Lancelot, apparently sacrificing himself.
• William and Lancelot: Show strong teamwork and urgency while escaping. They avoid unnecessary combat but eliminate the Flame Demon that threatens their escape. Their lack of time to look back emphasizes their focus on survival and on making Daniel’s sacrifice worthwhile.
• The demons: Initially attack Daniel with confidence and greed, hoping to seize his extraordinary blade. After witnessing his effortless killings, they become terrified, though their desire for the weapon prevents them from retreating immediately.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and loyalty: Daniel remains behind to secure William and Lancelot’s escape, valuing their survival over his own.
• Power beyond rank: Daniel is still a Legendary professional, yet his Microcosm Realm and swordsmanship allow him to challenge or surpass beings close to the Saint Realm.
• The cost of overwhelming strength: Belial’s defense and Daniel’s blade both cause enormous collateral destruction, showing how battles among high-level beings threaten entire territories.
• Greed versus fear: The demons recognize the danger Daniel poses but remain tempted by his blade, leading them into a deadly confrontation.
• Legacy and perseverance: Daniel’s strength is linked to three thousand years of accumulated momentum and memories, suggesting that his final attack embodies a lifetime of experience and suffering.

Character Interactions

• Belial taunts the attacking Dark Lords before drawing them away from his home.
• Daniel confronts the demons accusing him of treachery and calmly declares that his blade is enough to stop them.
• The demons attack Daniel collectively, but he defeats them one by one, causing their confidence to turn into terror and envy.
• William and Lancelot coordinate their escape and jointly kill the awakened Flame Demon.
• The small City Lord, misunderstanding the situation, follows William and Lancelot to the portal in panic.
• The chapter ends with William and Lancelot escaping while Daniel’s final blood-red sword strike dominates the battlefield, portraying him as a lone warrior confronting overwhelming odds.

Chapter 475: “Returning to the Temple” — Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• William returns from Moonlight Island with Lancelot after successfully completing the mission to sabotage Belial’s contract and trigger rebellion in the dark world. His system confirms that Delonos no longer poses a threat.
• The two hurry toward the Temple of Light, aware that the civil war among Belial’s forces will have enormous consequences. The rebellion may delay the impending dark invasion and significantly alter the war between the human and dark worlds.
• Their main concern is Hell Knight Daniel, whose survival is uncertain. William had given him Random Teleport Scrolls before leaving, but does not know whether Daniel used them.
• While traveling across Moonlight Lake, William and Lancelot encounter a thirteen-member adventuring party of epic-class professionals led by McLean, a battle-warlock who fights in close combat despite being a mage-type.
• The adventurers attack William and Lancelot because their dark aura makes them appear to be dark-world agents or human traitors. William avoids a confrontation by revealing an embarrassing childhood secret of McLean’s—something only McLean’s teacher and close associates should know. The revelation causes McLean to stop the pursuit.
• William explains that McLean is the apprentice of the legendary White-Robed Knight, a powerful law saint and famed slayer of dark creatures. William also recalls that McLean has a future quest involving revenge for his fiancée, suggesting he may later help or influence McLean.
• The pair eventually reaches the rendezvous point, where the spatial grand archmage transports them back to the Temple of Light. Daniel does not return with them.
• At the temple, a knight reports the full consequences of the rebellion: the World-Destroying Volcano was destroyed, Belial’s palace was leveled, more than a hundred legendary professionals were killed or injured, and one dark lord died. Belial survived but was badly wounded and fled.
• The Radiant Pope dismisses the report with confidence, noting that he expected Belial to survive but is surprised that one of the twenty dark lords was killed despite their overwhelming numbers.
• Lancelot reports that the mission is complete, but the Pope sends him away before he can ask about Daniel.
• The Pope casts Holy Blessing on William, permanently doubling his luck. Because William’s luck value is extremely low, the reward is practically useless to him, and he privately complains about it.
• When William considers requesting another reward, the Pope invites him to a private audience and promises to change the reward if William answers his questions truthfully. William eagerly agrees and follows him into a side hall.

Character Developments

• William successfully completes a mission with consequences powerful enough to destabilize the entire dark world. He also demonstrates his caution by avoiding unnecessary conflict with McLean’s party and by remaining alert to the possibility that law saints could track him.
• William’s irreverent and opportunistic personality is emphasized through his sarcastic reaction to the “doubling” of his luck and his willingness to exploit McLean’s secret.
• Lancelot continues to act as William’s cautious companion and mission partner. He shows curiosity about William’s hidden knowledge and remains concerned about Daniel’s fate.
• McLean is introduced as a reckless but capable battle-warlock who uses a wand while fighting at close range. His aggressive hatred of dark creatures is rooted in the losses suffered during the previous dark invasion.
• The Radiant Pope is shown to be politically calculating, immensely powerful, and increasingly self-satisfied. He views the rebellion as the result of his own plan and regards the deaths of the dark lords as proof of his success.
• Ursula flatters the Pope, praising his supposedly brilliant scheme, while the narration suggests that the Pope’s rise came after enduring more than ten thousand years as the temple’s perpetual second-in-command.

Significant Themes

• The butterfly effect of individual actions: William’s intervention does not merely complete a personal mission; it reshapes the strategic balance between the human and dark worlds and may postpone the dark invasion.
• Political manipulation and hidden agendas: The Pope’s plan, William’s secret mission, and the manipulation of Belial’s contract all show that the larger war is being influenced through indirect schemes rather than open battles alone.
• The burden of power: William and the Pope both possess abilities capable of changing the fate of entire worlds, but their goals and attitudes differ—William treats events with humor and self-interest, while the Pope views them as part of a long-term struggle.
• Appearance versus identity: William and Lancelot look human but carry dark auras, causing the adventurers to mistake them for enemies. McLean also appears to be a conventional warlock but behaves like a frontline warrior.
• Humor amid catastrophe: The chapter contrasts mass death, civil war, and world-altering consequences with comic moments involving McLean’s childhood secret and William’s frustration over receiving an unimpressive blessing.

Important Character Interactions

• William and Lancelot: They coordinate their escape from Moonlight Island, discuss the risks of being tracked, and debate McLean’s identity and background.
• William and McLean: William prevents a fight by exposing private knowledge about McLean, leaving the latter confused and embarrassed. William also recognizes McLean’s future potential.
• McLean and his party: His companions are accustomed to his unusual close-combat style and tease him mercilessly after William mentions his childhood secret. His interaction with the half-elf ranger adds a playful, flirtatious element.
• Lancelot and the Radiant Pope: Lancelot formally reports mission completion and attempts to ask about Daniel, but the Pope dismisses him and orders him to reflect on his experience.
• William and the Radiant Pope: The Pope blesses William, then privately summons him for questioning. William agrees enthusiastically, hoping to exchange honest answers for a more valuable reward.

Chapter 476 Summary: “Ring of Time”

Key Plot Points and Events

• William leaves his private meeting with the Radiant Pope after roughly three hours. His favorable standing with the Radiant Church rises dramatically, and he successfully completes the high-level quest.
• During the conversation, William gives the Pope his cynical assessment of the Chosen Ones, claiming they are primarily motivated by money and can be hired to do almost anything. He also complains that their ability to disappear unpredictably makes them unreliable.
• Although William fails to improve the Holy Blessing—partly because the Pope sees through his many lies—the quest reward is extraordinarily valuable: the legendary Ring of Time: Destiny.
• The ring grants William:
  • Significant stat increases, especially Intelligence, Agility, and Strength.
  • Time Slow, which slows everything within thirty meters for ten seconds.
  • Time Reversal, which resets all of his skill cooldowns once every seven days.
  • Timeguard, a powerful passive that protects him from nearly all time-based abilities except Saint-level powers.
• The ring originally belonged to the Son of Time and was apparently recovered from a grave by the Radiant Pope. William is startled that it is technically a wedding ring and moves it to another finger, joking that the Pope would need several divine artifacts to have any chance of pursuing him.
• William also receives one billion experience points, enough to max out his experience for level 150 and improve his skills. He hopes to reach the Legendary Tier by the next player-related version update.
• After saying goodbye to Lancelot, William leaves for the Far North, where he expects to spend the next several years apart from a few mandatory quests.

Character Developments

• William becomes considerably stronger and gains a major defense against one of his greatest vulnerabilities: time-based powers. He remains confident, vain, and sarcastic, but recognizes the exceptional danger posed by Epic- and Legendary-level time professionals.
• The Radiant Pope is shown to be strategic and far more farsighted than he appears. His gift of the ring may serve a larger purpose, though he refuses to explain his motives.
• Ursula acts as a critical and skeptical observer, questioning the Pope’s decisions and criticizing his obsession with knight novels.
• Lancelot is indirectly influenced by the Pope’s reading habits and has apparently developed a similar fondness for knight novels.

Significant Themes

• Power and manipulation: William and the Pope both use charm, deception, and calculated generosity to influence others.
• The danger and usefulness of the Chosen Ones: Their greed and unpredictability make them unreliable, but their ability to return or disappear makes them uniquely valuable.
• The importance of time: Time-based abilities are presented as extraordinarily powerful, and the ring represents both protection and a major strategic advantage.
• Racial unity versus division: The Pope rejects narrow racial loyalties, arguing that past civilizations fell because internal prejudice prevented them from uniting against greater threats.
• The burden of foresight and leadership: The Pope believes the Fourth Era will be more catastrophic than any previous age and wants powerful individuals from every race to survive long enough to help save the world.

Character Interactions

• William and the Radiant Pope develop a surprisingly friendly relationship during their extended discussion, though William’s flattering manner and frequent lies leave the Pope unconvinced.
• William gives the Pope his blunt opinion of the Chosen Ones, while the Pope studies him carefully and appears to assess his future importance.
• Ursula confronts the Pope over giving the ring to William instead of Lancelot or Hafto. The Pope dismisses her concerns and insists that the decision is his alone.
• Ursula warns that William’s loyalty may lie with the Elves, but the Pope rejects her human-centered assumptions and explains that he is thinking about the survival of two entire worlds rather than one race.
• The chapter ends with the Pope revealing that he has foreseen a terrifying “crimson world” in the Fourth Era, suggesting that an approaching catastrophe will surpass the disasters of all previous eras.

Plot points and events

• William returns to Dawn Fortress after roughly a year and a half away. He dismisses the guards’ concern about the cold and promises to install a Magic Formation to warm the Portal Hall.
• The fortress has grown into a disciplined force of nearly 130,000 soldiers and mercenaries. William’s regular visits are rare, so he greets familiar troops, praises their advances, and teases one slow-to-progress warrior—boosting morale and loyalty.
• He visits the officers’ shared compound and finds several comrades sparring. After the fighters stop, William notes that many have advanced to Epic tier and says a major battle is likely soon.
• Burning Ash challenges William to spar. Eager to test his new abilities, William invites Burning Ash, Diablo, Meng Lu, and Albert to face him, promising to overwhelm them.

Character developments

• William’s confidence and authority remain strong: he is attentive to his troops, mindful of morale and security, and eager to demonstrate his growing power.
• The fortress’s officers have become stronger through continual combat in the Far North. Burning Ash, Diablo, Meng Lu, and Albert are now Epic-Class; the others are progressing as well.
• Lotner remains flashy but pragmatic, choosing the security of his position at the fortress over traveling with William.
• Meng Lu is portrayed as an unusually intense and physically dominant sparring partner, while Tyrannosaur’s rivalry with him continues.

Character interactions

• William’s casual recognition and teasing of soldiers make them feel valued and increase their loyalty.
• He shows concern for the guards’ harsh living conditions and for the possibility of an Orc attack, while maintaining unpredictable feast days to prevent the enemy from exploiting a pattern.
• The officers greet William warmly, flatter him, and volunteer for combat. Their competitive camaraderie is apparent in the sparring and challenges.

Significant themes

• Leadership and morale: Small gestures from a powerful leader can strongly affect those under his command.
• Discipline and vigilance: Even celebrations are planned with military security in mind.
• Growth through adversity: Repeated battles and training in the harsh Far North have helped the Dawn Legion’s officers advance.
• Power and confidence: William’s return signals both the army’s readiness for a coming campaign and his desire to test his increased strength.

Key plot points and events

• William activates Unrivaled and uses Peerless Sacred Thunder and the Time Ring to defeat Burning Ash, Diablo, Albert, and Meng Lu in a sparring match. His attack leaves all four badly injured, but alive.
• Meng Lu asks about William’s past fight with Klass. William explains that Klass could briefly reach Legendary-level power when drawing strength from the earth, and that William’s victory depended heavily on his equipment and abilities.
• William reassures his subordinates that Legendary-level power in one respect does not make someone equal to a Legendary. The four remain determined to improve.
• Fighting resumes along the Black Great Wall. The human and Elven forces steadily wear down the Orc Empire, while both sides keep their strongest fighters in check to avoid escalating the conflict.
• Gurtai learns that the Born Deity has consumed five Mana Veins and can now reach the peak of the Epic Tier, but needs four more to become Legendary. Desperate for a Saint-level champion, Gurtai accepts the enormous cost of feeding him.
• The Born Deity has twice fought for the Orcs, injuring many enemies while showing restraint. Gurtai sees Tyler’s friendship with him as the best way to keep the powerful being attached to the empire.
• Tyler insists that his affection for the Born Deity is genuine. The friendship gives him comfort and a rare sense of trust.
• In Dawn Fortress, William privately complains that his undercover scheme to obtain Mana Veins has become exhausting. Tyler’s growing affection—and Gurtai’s hopes that the Born Deity will become a symbol of Orc faith—threaten to turn William into a leader of the empire.

Character developments and interactions

• William demonstrates overwhelming strength but puts it in perspective for his companions. He remains focused on his undercover plan, though he fears it is spiraling beyond his control.
• Meng Lu, Burning Ash, Diablo, and Albert recognize the gap between their abilities and William’s, yet William’s encouragement renews their resolve.
• Gurtai shifts from simply exploiting the Born Deity’s power to treating him as a possible savior of the Orc Empire. He relies on Tyler’s bond with him to secure his allegiance.
• Tyler is sincerely attached to the Born Deity, whose offer to share a Mana Vein cemented their friendship. He sees their relationship as a source of peace and loyalty.
• **The Born Deity—secretly William—**has cultivated a reputation as a greedy but powerful being who can be persuaded to fight, while his restraint and apparent generosity deepen the Orcs’ trust.

Significant themes

• Power and its limits: Reaching Legendary-level strength in one area is not the same as being a true Legendary.
• Loyalty and friendship: Gurtai hopes affection will bind the Born Deity to the Orcs, while Tyler’s bond with him is portrayed as sincere rather than strategic.
• Manipulation and unintended consequences: William’s plan to exploit the Orcs for resources risks making him indispensable—and potentially revered—by them.
• War and sacrifice: The Orc Empire’s military decline and the cost of nurturing the Born Deity expose Gurtai’s desperation to secure his people’s future.

Chapter Summary: “Something Fishy”

Plot Points and Events

• More than three years have passed, and the Nine Continents continue slowly drifting closer together. Aside from rising tensions between the Red Fire and Sand Sea Kingdoms and a second Dark Invasion, the greatest current event is the final assault on the Orc Empire in the Far North.
• After four years of warfare, the human and elf forces captured the Orc Empire’s Black Great Wall, killing roughly fifteen million orcs at the cost of more than two million allied soldiers. The following year consisted mainly of guerrilla warfare inside Orc territory.
• The decisive campaign begins with a three-million-strong human and elf army, including hundreds of epic-class professionals. The two saint-level commanders are Bernice, the Snow Elf Queen, and Andre, founder of the Berserkers.
• Bernice is named supreme commander. She demonstrates her authority by creating a gigantic frost avatar and rallying the army with the command, “Destroy the nation!”
• The allied forces invade the Orc Empire, facing overwhelming superiority. The orcs possess no saints, legends, or significant epic forces; their strongest remaining warriors are mostly grandmasters.
• William observes from the city wall rather than directly participating. He has already killed eight epic orcs and demons over the previous three years, leaving little need for him to fight in this final massacre.
• The war’s goals are to reduce the Orc population to a manageable size, eliminate the Orc Empire as a threat, force Gurtai to abandon the Far North, and divide the empire’s remaining land and resources.
• The Far North is revealed to contain enormous untapped wealth, especially its ice-covered seas, fish, sea beasts, underwater mineral deposits, and potential for future cities, trade, and technological development.
• The chapter ends with Annie worrying that William’s relationship with Moxis may be “fishy,” hinting at romantic jealousy or suspicion.

Character Developments

• William has become a major military figure despite still being young. His Dawn Legion’s achievements have earned him a place among legendary leaders, and his battlefield experience has made him emotionally detached from the war’s violence.
• William is also increasingly aware of his age and impending adulthood, reflecting on how much time has passed since he was sixteen.
• Bernice is presented as a powerful, authoritative leader capable of commanding millions and intimidating even other saints. Her sharp personality is humorously contrasted with Andre’s inability to argue with her.
• Andre remains a formidable saint but is portrayed as blunt, hot-tempered, and unsuited to political or verbal contests.
• Gurtai is effectively isolated and doomed. He must choose between surrendering territory and resources or abandoning the Legendary Continent entirely.
• Annie has matured physically and emotionally but remains insecure about William’s future and his connection with Moxis. Her concern suggests growing romantic feelings and fear of losing him.

Significant Themes

• Inevitable defeat and political exploitation: The Orc Empire’s earlier betrayal of the Gods Continent has left it friendless, making its destruction and exploitation appear inevitable.
• The brutality and unfairness of racial war: The conflict is portrayed not as an honorable duel but as an unequal exterminatory campaign shaped by overwhelming military disparity.
• Expansion and resource competition: The victors view the Far North not only as conquered territory but as a source of minerals, food, strategic land, and future economic development.
• Civilization and technology: The ice sheet may support new cities, fishing industries, underwater exploration, and even technological innovations such as submarines.
• Power, merit, and racial fortune: Military achievements grant political status, territory, resources, and access to racial fortune, while players like William remain excluded from certain benefits.
• Romantic uncertainty: Annie’s suspicion about William and Moxis introduces a lighter interpersonal tension amid the grim military setting.

Character Interactions

• Bernice commands the allied armies and inspires them through her enormous frost projection.
• William reflects on the war’s consequences and his role while standing among the leading legendary figures.
• William affectionately rubs Annie’s head when she approaches him, showing their familiar closeness.
• Annie holds William’s arm and worries about his approaching adulthood, revealing emotional dependence and possible romantic anxiety.
• She directly accuses him of having an unclear relationship with Moxis, prompting William’s awkward, evasive reaction and giving the chapter its humorous closing note.

Chapter 480 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After four months of warfare in the Far North, the combined Human and Elven forces completely destroy the Orc Empire. More than ten million Orcs are killed, while over three million are captured and retained as laborers.
• Gurtai, the Orc Saint, escapes with more than eight million Orcs. The allied forces do not pursue him aggressively, partly because killing a Saint is extremely difficult and partly to avoid provoking him into desperate retaliation.
• William negotiates the division of the conquered Orc territories with Queen Bernice. Rather than claiming land, he requests valuable mineral resources—including Mithril, Gold Essence, Orichalcum, copper, iron, and gold mines—and five hundred thousand Orc miners.
• William reveals that Dawn City still possesses eight million Merit Points, earned largely through the achievements of its army, especially the highly effective Dragon Blood Legion.
• Instead of exchanging the points for Divine Artifacts, Holy Relics, or military resources, William asks for six hundred thousand Elves: two hundred thousand from each of the three major Elven clans.
• Bernice consults representatives of the Black Leaf and Moonlight Elves. They agree to fulfill his request, believing that the Elves living in Dawn City are treated well and that supporting William could benefit their clans in the future.

Character Developments

• William demonstrates increasing political maturity and long-term ambition. He deliberately avoids competing for territory, recognizing that Dawn City lacks the manpower to settle or defend a distant northern frontier.
• His request for Elven settlers reveals that he is thinking beyond immediate military strength. He intends to expand Dawn City’s population and gradually build influence over all three Elven clans.
• William’s ambitions extend beyond becoming king of the Black Leaf Elves; he potentially seeks to become a unifying ruler or emperor of the three Elven peoples.
• Queen Bernice recognizes William’s intentions but chooses to support him cautiously. She views the request as a manageable risk: if William succeeds, the Elven clans gain a powerful ally; if he fails, their population losses will not threaten their survival.
• The elders of the Black Leaf and Moonlight Elves show confidence in William because their people already live comfortably in Dawn City and benefit from its equipment and living standards.

Significant Themes

• Pragmatism over greed: William rejects land and powerful artifacts in favor of resources and population, prioritizing what Dawn City can realistically use.
• Long-term investment: The chapter contrasts short-term military rewards with William’s decision to invest in the future strength and influence of his city.
• Political expansion through population: William seeks to influence the Elven clans not through conquest, but by attracting and integrating their people into Dawn City.
• The consequences of war: The Orc Empire is erased from history, and surviving Orcs are reduced to prisoners and laborers, emphasizing the brutality of racial and ideological conflict.
• Trust and calculated risk: The Elven leaders support William because they believe the potential rewards outweigh the risks, even while recognizing his ambitions.

Character Interactions

• William and Bernice negotiate the spoils of war, with William presenting a carefully calculated request that Bernice readily accepts.
• Their conversation over the eight million Merit Points reveals Bernice’s anxiety that William might claim rare Divine Artifacts, followed by her surprise when he instead requests Elven citizens.
• After William leaves, Bernice discusses the matter with senior elders from the Black Leaf and Moonlight clans. Together, they acknowledge his ambitions and agree to provide the requested Elves.
• The chapter ends with William anticipating the rewards from completing the SSS-Class war mission, suggesting that his personal power and Dawn City’s future influence are about to rise further.

Chapter Summary

• Quest rewards: After completing the five-year Elven contract at 180%, William receives a Talent Upgrade Card, 3,000 grams of Legendary Wisdom Water, 1.8 billion experience, improved standing with three Elven factions, and two points of Lord of Dawn Legendary Renown.
• Fame and reputation: William’s new renown reflects his power, handsome appearance, and army’s record of killing millions of Orcs. He grumbles that the bloodshed was his soldiers’ doing, but recognizes that he has become famous across the Legendary Continent.
• Wisdom Water: The rare World Tree product can awaken a Mage’s Talent, potentially raise their Bloodline, and grant Intelligence. William decides to give it to Siya, a gifted but intensely Magic-obsessed Truth Mage who once helped him when he first arrived. He considers other candidates, but finds them less suitable.
• A major transformation: William uses the Talent Upgrade Card on Diamond Body, evolving it into Indestructible Adamantine Body. The new Talent greatly increases his defense, health, damage reduction, resistance to status effects, and regeneration. Combined with Thunder Heart and his immortality Talent, it makes him extraordinarily difficult to kill—even by powerful Epic-tier opponents.
• Looking ahead: William regrets not having the upgrade before the Epic Title Tournament, but sees the coming three-year version as an opportunity to expand Dawn City’s influence. He anticipates the second Dark Invasion, war between the Red Fire and Sand Sea Kingdoms, and the Dragonkind Rebellion. He hopes to profit from the conflicts, expand west toward the Dwarves, assist Odom, and either fight or build ties with Dragonkind. Ultimately, he sees this era as a path toward Legendary rank and a strong position in the coming wars.

Character Developments and Themes

William’s confidence grows as his new Talent restores his status as a near-unstoppable tank. His playful vanity and humor remain evident, even as he thinks strategically about future wars and political expansion. The chapter emphasizes earned reputation, power and resilience, the value of rare resources, and the way escalating conflict creates both danger and opportunity. Siya’s mention also recalls William’s long-standing personal gratitude toward her, alongside her defining devotion to Magic.

Chapter Summary: “A Brand New Dawn City”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Three days after William gains the Indestructible Adamantine Body, the 200,000-strong Dawn Army returns from the Far North. William grants them a ten-day vacation, knowing it may be their last long rest before version 4.0 and the beginning of the Infinite War.
• Dawn City receives another 600,000 elves from the Black Leaf, Moonlight, and Snow Elf tribes. Its population rises to approximately 5 million, while William’s entire territory reaches 11 million inhabitants, including 1 million elves, 1.5 million half-elves, over 100,000 Winged Folk, tens of thousands of dwarves, and a human majority.
• Dawn City’s military has expanded dramatically:
  • 700,000 regular troops, including veterans, recruits, and reserve soldiers.
  • 280,000 mercenaries, all Intermediate-Class Professionals or higher.
• William realizes that the city’s main military weakness is no longer combat power, but the shortage of capable junior officers, Legion Commanders, and military organizers.
• He develops a new legion structure for 5,000-man legions:
  • One Legion Commander.
  • Three Deputy Legion Commanders: a powerful combat specialist, a strategist or staff officer, and a Mage responsible for environmental and magical support.
  • At least 300 Mages for formations, amplification, ranged support, and manipulating battlefield conditions.
  • A standard composition of shield warriors, warriors, rangers, and Mages.
• William orders the first cohort of students from the Battle Aura Academy and Magic Academy to enter the army as interns and junior officers. Exceptional students may even become Deputy Legion Commanders.
• The academies contain around 100,000 students, many of whom possess exceptional bloodlines. The first cohort includes 1,355 High-Class Professionals, nine especially gifted students, and several who have already reached or nearly reached the Grandmaster Tier.
• William announces that Old Bander will become President of the Magic Academy, while Old Pi, now an Epic powerhouse, will lead the Battle Aura Academy.
• He begins reforming the Dawn Legion in preparation for the players’ arrival and version 4.0, determined to show them a completely transformed Dawn City.

Character Developments

• William becomes increasingly focused on long-term governance, military organization, and preparing for the coming Infinite War. He shifts from relying on powerful individuals to building a disciplined and scalable military system.
• He demonstrates confidence in the academies, revealing that they were deliberately designed to produce commanders and strategists, not merely powerful fighters.
• William’s influence over the younger generation has deepened. Many academy students now regard Dawn City as their homeland and William almost as a personal faith figure.
• Old Bander and Old Pi advance into formal leadership positions, providing the authority needed to control the rapidly growing number of powerful students.
• The academy vice presidents reveal their unease at how quickly their students are advancing, especially as some have reached the Grandmaster Tier and become difficult for them to supervise.
• The first-generation academy students emerge as a new elite class, combining strong bloodlines, rapid cultivation, military education, and loyalty to Dawn City.

Significant Themes

• Preparation for war: Peace and vacations are temporary, while William views the future through the lens of the approaching Infinite War.
• Institution-building over individual strength: Dawn City’s challenge is no longer a lack of powerful warriors but the need for systems, officers, logistics, and command structures capable of managing a massive army.
• Education as military infrastructure: The Battle Aura and Magic Academies are portrayed as officer-training institutions comparable to elite military academies, producing both combatants and leaders.
• Assimilation and identity: Elves, half-elves, dwarves, Winged Folk, and humans are gradually united under Dawn City. The new generation increasingly sees the city as home rather than merely a place of residence.
• Factional politics and controlled competition: Various racial and professional factions exist within Dawn City, but their rivalries remain relatively moderate. Competition becomes a productive force for advancement rather than destructive internal conflict.
• Talent in an age of Mana Revival: The rising concentration of mana and abundance of high bloodlines create an unprecedented generation of prodigies. Dawn City’s standards are so high that individuals considered geniuses elsewhere seem ordinary there.
• Transformation and spectacle: William wants the players to return to a visibly renewed Dawn City, emphasizing the city’s evolution into a major military and political power.

Important Character Interactions

• William observes the returning soldiers and discusses the future of the Dawn Army with himself and Prince, focusing on its size and organizational weaknesses.
• He summons the vice presidents of both academies to question them about the progress of the first student cohort.
• The Battle Aura Academy vice president explains that many students are eager to enlist, while the Magic Academy vice president admits that the strongest students are becoming difficult to manage.
• William resolves the issue by assigning the students to military internships and appointing Old Bander and Old Pi as academy presidents.
• The academies’ graduates are placed within existing factions and legions, where their status as William’s direct disciples ensures that established commanders must accept them, though internal competition remains.
• William’s relationship with the academy students is shown to be deeply influential: his leadership and charisma have redirected their ambitions away from solitary adventuring and toward serving Dawn City.

Chapter 483 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The five-year version update ends, introducing Version 4.0: “Fourth Era, Beginning of Infinite War.” To players, only a few hours have passed, but William has endured the full five years.
• Millions of players return simultaneously. New players immediately trigger the usual chaotic behavior, including organized “chest-grabbing” and “hand-chopping” factions, while veteran players resume recruiting and displaying their superior equipment.
• Veteran players discover that the major war against the Orc Empire has already ended without them. Dawn Fortress has become independent of Dawn City, and the long-running SSS-class Elf contract quest has been completed.
• Players rapidly regroup in Dawn City, demonstrating their continued loyalty to William and the city. Over six million players return to Dawn City, while only a small minority remain with other factions.
• William launches a new quest centered on the families of more than 100,000 soldiers who died during the Orc war. Players must locate and deliver gifts personally prepared by William in several cities, including Dawn City, Stormwind, Greenlight City, Eastsea City, and Beast-Taming City.
• The gifts are modest but deeply personal: favorite snacks, children’s toys, bicycles, shields, wooden swords, and academy admission certificates. The quest strongly moves many players and further improves William’s reputation.
• Lancelot informs William that the Second Dark Invasion will begin in one month. Although the Human Empire and kingdoms hesitate to intervene, Dawn City and the Temple of Light are prepared to act.
• William views the coming invasion as a valuable source of quests and experience for the growing player population, though he hopes the demons will be numerous enough to provide a meaningful challenge.

Character Developments

• William is revealed as a highly experienced ruler who has successfully guided Dawn City through five years of war and development. He deliberately uses the gift quest as political strategy to strengthen the players’ emotional loyalty to Dawn City.
• Despite recognizing the manipulation involved, William is confident that his “open” methods are effective because they genuinely benefit the city’s civilians.
• Veteran players have become deeply tied to Dawn City after surviving multiple versions alongside William. Their loyalty now resembles a collective sense of glory rather than simple pursuit of rewards.
• Changli Jiugu and Chu Liuqiu return to the game and begin preparing to investigate the new version’s main storyline, especially the upcoming vampire-related content.
• Grand Archmage Kieran remains exhausted after spending five years teaching the Snow Elf Queen, but he is impressed by the players’ devotion to Dawn City.
• The players’ admiration for William intensifies, with many viewing him as a beautiful, benevolent, almost idealized future king.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and shared glory: The players’ connection to Dawn City has developed beyond profit. Their history with the city creates a collective identity and makes them difficult for rival factions to recruit.
• Political manipulation through compassion: William’s gifts are sincere acts of kindness but also calculated tools for winning popular support and binding players emotionally to Dawn City.
• War’s human cost: The quest highlights the suffering of soldiers’ families and the ordinary desires disrupted by war, contrasting emotional civilian losses with the players’ excitement over battles and rewards.
• The gap between players and natives: Players experience the update as a brief interruption, while William and the inhabitants endure five real years of history, war, and loss.
• The power of reputation and fandom: William’s image has become almost idolized among players. The forums defend him aggressively, and criticism can lead to harassment, bounties, or in-game retaliation.
• Escalation toward larger conflict: The second Dark Invasion signals that the story is moving toward increasingly dangerous and eventually continuous warfare.

Character Interactions

• Players returning to Dawn City compete, joke, recruit newcomers, and clash with newer factions over status and influence.
• Veteran guild leaders react with shock and confusion upon learning that the Orc war and major quests ended during their absence.
• Kieran and other powerful factions discuss whether the Chosen Ones can be recruited away from Dawn City, ultimately recognizing that veteran players are already too emotionally invested to leave easily.
• Players enthusiastically discuss William on the forum, with Changli Jiugu and other fans jokingly claiming him as their own and provoking playful arguments.
• William observes the players enjoying the gift quest while privately acknowledging that he is intentionally cultivating their loyalty.
• Lancelot’s message establishes cooperation between Dawn City and the Temple of Light in preparation for the upcoming Dark Invasion.

Chapter Summary: “A Comprehensively Upgraded Dawn City”

Key Plot Points and Events

• William’s introductory quest for the players involves collecting gifts across various cities. Each gift also records important developments in Dawn City over the previous five years, allowing players to learn about local cultures and the city’s military expansion.
• Players witness the Dragon Blood Legion, a legendary force of 5,000 Grandmaster-tier Dragon Speakers and dragonblood warriors equipped with Dark Gold armor, Epic weapons, and dragon-scaled dire wolves.
• The Dragon Blood Legion is revealed to have fought hundreds of battles against the Orc Empire without suffering a single casualty, killing approximately 500,000 enemies. It is ranked among the top ten legions on the Legendary Continent.
• The new version is identified as the beginning of the Fourth Era and Infinite War. Unlike the first three eras—dominated by dragons, elves, and humans—the race that will lead the Fourth Era remains undecided.
• Players learn about Dawn City’s major achievements over the last five years:
  • Prince becomes a Dragon Knight with a mount called the Dusk Dragon.
  • Dawn City conquers Beast-Taming City during its expansion into the Eastern Region.
  • Moxis becomes a Legendary Grand Archmage and builds a magic tower.
  • William becomes an Epic powerhouse known as the Thunderblades and kills eight Epic orc experts.
  • The Three Great Elven Clans begin investing in Dawn City, increasing speculation that William may eventually become the Elven King.
• Beast-Taming City becomes a major attraction because it sells magical beasts, mounts, and combat pets. Ordinary players seek affordable pets, while wealthy players attempt to buy large numbers of powerful beasts for personal use and guild warfare.
• William privately reveals that he has accumulated 80,000–90,000 low- and mid-tier magical beasts over the past five years. Selling them to players allows him to profit from creatures that would otherwise be useless or impossible to deploy.
• The chapter ends with William preparing to send troops and players to support the Red Fire Kingdom, which is facing an imminent war with the Sand Sea Kingdom and its dwarf allies. He is willing to fight on two fronts despite the approaching Dark Invasion.

Character Developments

• William is shown to have transformed Dawn City into a powerful military and political faction. His personal strength has reached the Epic level, and his victories over eight Epic orc warriors suggest the potential to become a legend or even a saint.
• William increasingly acts like both a ruler and a game administrator. He strategically controls the sale of magical beasts, limits the number of high-tier creatures available, and uses players as a source of wealth and military power.
• Prince, presumably William’s heir or close subordinate, advances into a Dragon Knight and gains the Dusk Dragon as a mount.
• Moxis rises from the owner of a divination shop to a Legendary Grand Archmage capable of using multiple elemental forms of magic.
• The players develop a strong emotional and economic attachment to Dawn City. They begin viewing themselves as stakeholders in its success and William as a leader working on their behalf.
• Emperor of Luck’s Dream and the Godly Tycoon Squad exemplify wealthy players who see magical beasts as investments, status symbols, and weapons for future guild conflicts.
• Wang Dacong provides a more practical perspective, recognizing the difficulty of managing different types of magical beasts and the limitations of mounts and combat pets.

Significant Themes

• Military power and advancement: Dawn City’s rapid development is demonstrated through its elite armies, legendary legion, advanced equipment, and repeated military victories.
• The coming struggle for world dominance: The Fourth Era is framed as a massive conflict over which race will become the era’s leading power.
• Player-faction identity: Players increasingly identify Dawn City as their own faction rather than merely a quest hub. Its prosperity directly benefits them, creating loyalty and a sense of belonging.
• War as opportunity: While the coming wars are dangerous, players and William see them as chances to gain wealth, territory, influence, and resources.
• Commercialization and game-like systems: The sale of magical beasts introduces a new economic system resembling mounts and pets in MMORPGs. William exploits the players’ enthusiasm to monetize surplus resources.
• Power balanced by risk: Magical beasts retain their original strength but cannot be resurrected if killed, making them powerful yet valuable and dangerous assets.
• Overwhelming ambition: William’s confidence reflects Dawn City’s growth from a regional power into a faction capable of fighting multiple enemies and potentially influencing the entire Fourth Era.

Important Character Interactions

• Players react with amazement and excitement when they see the Dragon Blood Legion and learn of its undefeated record. They praise William and speculate that he has obtained a Legendary Troop Class.
• Players discuss William’s potential to become a saint and conclude that staying loyal to Dawn City is the safest and most profitable choice.
• In Beast-Taming City, the Godly Tycoon Squad debates which magical beasts to purchase. Emperor of Luck’s Dream favors buying as many as possible, while Wang Dacong points out that different beasts are difficult to control together.
• The group considers Dragon Wolves, griffins, and other combat-capable beasts, while acknowledging that dragons are either unavailable or unaffordable.
• William observes these interactions from behind the scenes, amused that players are turning his surplus magical beasts into a profitable business.
• King Vekru repeatedly urges William to send reinforcements to the Red Fire Kingdom, creating the immediate political and military obligation that drives the chapter’s conclusion.

Chapter 485: “Homeland” — Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The three Dwarf Kingdoms—Ironfist, Hardbeard, and Earthfire—each mobilize 100,000 elite troops to support the Sand Sea Kingdom against the Red Fire Kingdom. Their forces include goat cavalry and chariot legions, signaling that a major war between human kingdoms and dwarves is imminent.
• William and 800,000 members of Dawn City’s Death-defying Legion arrive in the Red Fire Kingdom. The players’ undead-like resurrection ability continues to astonish and confuse local NPCs.
• Brian, once the young noble William rescued, has become an Epic-tier marquis and a seasoned military commander. He welcomes William and explains that the Sand Sea Kingdom has brought the dwarf kingdoms into the conflict.
• William suspects the dwarves’ intervention is connected to Odom and the possibility that Dawn City may eventually help the Heavyhammer Clan reclaim Lonely Mountain.
• William meets King Vekru, who has advanced to the Legendary Rank. Vekru reveals that his objective is not merely defense, but the complete conquest and subjugation of the Sand Sea Kingdom.
• Vekru asks whether William will deploy Dawn City’s elite veterans or the Dragon Blood Legion. William refuses to commit the Dragon Blood Legion, explaining that using such a powerful force against humans and dwarves would worsen the internal conflict within the Light Faction.
• William implies that Dawn City’s support depends on the price Vekru is willing to pay. He is willing to let the players absorb much of the fighting but will only deploy valuable veteran troops for an appropriate reward.
• In Dawn City, Odom learns that the dwarf kingdoms have entered the war. Unable to suppress his hatred for the “traitors” who destroyed his homeland, he equips himself with his old armor and weapons and announces that he will go to the Red Fire Kingdom.
• Odom’s clansmen initially urge caution, but ultimately kneel and pledge their support. Odom insists on going alone, determined to remind the traitorous dwarves that the Heavyhammer bloodline still survives and will one day return to Lonely Mountain.
• The surviving dwarves sing “Homeland,” an old war song created during their struggle against flame demons. The song, once used to defend Lonely Mountain, now becomes a rallying cry for reclaiming it.

Character Developments

• William has matured into a powerful faction leader who negotiates with kings as an equal rather than acting as a subordinate. He is cautious about risking Dawn City’s elite forces and increasingly thinks in terms of political consequences and long-term strategy.
• Brian has grown from an inexperienced noble into an Epic-tier marquis and hardened battlefield commander. His years of war and political responsibility have greatly changed him.
• King Vekru has reached the Legendary Rank and become more cautious around William. He recognizes that Dawn City has grown into a power capable of determining the Red Fire Kingdom’s fate.
• Odom Heavyhammer moves from passive exile to active resistance. The sight of the dwarf kingdoms joining the war reignites his anger and his determination to reclaim Lonely Mountain.
• The Heavyhammer dwarves demonstrate renewed hope and loyalty. Their comfortable life in Dawn City is secondary to their dream of returning to their true homeland.

Significant Themes

• Homeland and exile: Lonely Mountain represents more than territory; it is the cultural identity and ancestral home of Odom’s people.
• Revenge versus strategy: Odom is driven by anger and the desire to confront the traitors, while William prioritizes political balance, military cost, and future consequences.
• The transformation of power: Dawn City has evolved from a minor faction into a major force whose decisions influence kingdoms and entire races.
• Civil war within the Light Faction: The coming conflict is complicated because humans and dwarves—nominal allies against darkness—are preparing to fight one another.
• Hope preserved through memory: The song “Homeland” connects the dwarves’ past suffering to their future return, turning grief and nostalgia into renewed purpose.

Character Interactions

• William and Brian reunite warmly, with Brian openly acknowledging Dawn City’s importance to the Red Fire Kingdom’s survival.
• William and King Vekru negotiate as political equals. Vekru seeks access to Dawn City’s strongest forces, while William refuses to make unconditional commitments.
• William and Vekru also clash over the Dragon Blood Legion, with William rejecting its use in an internal war among Light-aligned races.
• Odom and his clansmen share a deeply emotional exchange: although they fear the time is not yet right, their loyalty to Odom and desire for their homeland eventually lead them to pledge themselves to his cause.

Chapter 486: “Pre-Battle Meeting” — Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• William and King Vekru assess the coming war between the Red Fire Kingdom and the Sand Sea Kingdom. The border is a vast, flat mix of plains and desert, making it difficult to defend and vulnerable to cavalry raids.
• Vekru explains that the Sand Sea Kingdom, now supported by the Dwarf Kingdom, possesses a major advantage in cavalry numbers and battlefield mobility. The 800,000 Chosen Ones under William’s command are mostly intermediate-class professionals and would be overwhelmed by magical-beast cavalry in a direct confrontation.
• William agrees to reinforce the Red Fire Kingdom with 50,000 Dawn Regular Army veterans, all high-class professionals experienced in combat.
• Three urgent reports arrive:
  • Ironfist Kingdom dwarf cavalry reach the border and begin looking for a camp.
  • 20,000 Hardbeard Kingdom dwarf cavalry charge into the border region, threatening a nearby fortress defended by only 6,000 cavalry.
  • The Sand Sea Kingdom deploys 500,000 troops across its seven fortresses and sends twenty-three epic-class professionals to challenge the Red Fire Kingdom. General Fentes accepts a challenge and is instantly killed by the title-bearing epic powerhouse Blood-Hand Butcher Gugas.
• Vekru orders the fortress generals not to accept further challenges. He realizes the Sand Sea Kingdom is deliberately using its epic forces to intimidate and pressure the Red Fire Kingdom.
• William offers to have Dawn City tie down ten enemy epic professionals. He assigns Diablo, the Tyrannosaur, and Odom to fight one each, while taking responsibility for the remaining six himself.
• William reveals that Gugas is an old enemy whom he defeated during the Magic-Martial Tournament by tearing off both his arms. Vekru becomes more confident in William’s strength.
• William promises to handle the dwarf forces while the Red Fire Kingdom focuses on the main fortress battle. Vekru agrees to launch an offensive if Dawn City can neutralize the enemy’s epic-class advantage.
• The Red Fire Kingdom begins moving troops into its seven border fortresses, while Dawn City’s player army advances toward the front lines.
• The players initially underestimate the dwarves, but are stunned to discover that even ordinary dwarf scouts wear powerful dark-gold equipment. Rather than being discouraged, the players become excited because defeating dwarves could yield valuable loot.
• William intends to use the players’ greed and resurrection ability to keep the dwarf forces occupied. He believes the dwarves are unlikely to fight to the death and will eventually adopt a defensive posture once they realize the players cannot be permanently eliminated.

Character Developments

• William demonstrates strategic confidence and opportunism. He recognizes that Dawn City’s value lies in handling threats the Red Fire Kingdom cannot manage and views the kingdom’s disadvantages as an opportunity to prove his forces’ worth.
• King Vekru shifts from alarm and frustration to cautious confidence in William. He is forced to acknowledge that the Red Fire Kingdom is outmatched in troops and epic professionals, making Dawn City’s support essential.
• Blood-Hand Butcher Gugas is established as a dangerous title-bearing epic warrior with a history of killing six Red Fire Kingdom epic professionals, but also as William’s defeated former rival.
• The players move from arrogant dismissal of the dwarves to eager anticipation after seeing their superior equipment. Their motivation becomes centered on the potential rewards from looting dark-gold gear.

Significant Themes

• Strategy over brute force: The chapter emphasizes the importance of terrain, troop quality, mobility, and battlefield assignments rather than simply counting soldiers.
• Economic power and military strength: The dwarves’ exceptional equipment reflects their wealth and smithing expertise, showing that resources can compensate for or amplify combat ability.
• Undying soldiers as a strategic weapon: The players’ willingness to die repeatedly makes them ideal for exhausting or containing elite enemy forces.
• Reputation and commercial warfare: William treats Dawn City’s military intervention as a business opportunity, aiming to establish that anyone who hires Dawn City can reverse an unfavorable war if they pay enough.
• Overconfidence and hidden danger: Both the players and the enemy risk underestimating one another. The players mock the dwarves, while the dwarves may not yet understand how difficult an undying army is to defeat.

Character Interactions

• William and Vekru cooperate uneasily but pragmatically, negotiating troop commitments and battlefield responsibilities.
• Vekru initially doubts that William’s relatively young epic-level power can handle title-bearing opponents, but William’s history with Gugas and willingness to fight six enemies changes his view.
• William assigns Diablo, the Tyrannosaur, and Odom specific roles in containing the enemy’s epic professionals.
• The players Changli Jiugu and Chu Liuqiu react to the dwarves’ equipment, embodying the wider player army’s shift from contempt to greedy enthusiasm.
• William strategically separates responsibilities: Dawn City and the players will contain the dwarves, while the Red Fire Kingdom and Sand Sea Kingdom fight the decisive fortress war.

Key plot points and events

• Spring brings a new military crisis: three Dwarf Kingdoms deploy 300,000 troops against the Red Fire Kingdom. Players receive an S-Class quest to stop the dwarves from advancing more than thirty kilometers into the border region.
• William visits the player camp, where players seek quests and admire his newfound friendliness. His real purpose is to find Odom, a former dwarf heir and Dawn City’s Deputy City Lord.
• William discourages Odom from attacking the dwarven soldiers directly, arguing that it would provoke retaliation and deepen the damage between Dawn City and the dwarves.
• Instead, he proposes a political strategy to restore Odom’s claim to Lonely Mountain: publicize Odom as the last heir of the Lonely Mountain Empire, send him with a small party to open its sealed gates, and claim a supposed dwarven Divine Artifact that could legitimize rule over the dwarves.
• William plans to bring the coming Dark Invasion to the battlefield. Daniel will send powerful Dark Creatures to overwhelm a dwarven legion; Odom and his squad will then rescue the soldiers, earning goodwill and presenting him as a unifier rather than a conqueror.
• William assembles a high-profile squad of Epic-Class allies from across the continent’s kingdoms and factions to accompany Odom. Their presence will make it harder for the Dwarf Kingdoms to attack him openly and will draw attention to his claim.

Character developments

• William shows himself as a patient political strategist. Rather than pursue revenge or immediate military victory, he uses publicity, alliances, and carefully staged events to build Odom’s legitimacy while protecting Dawn City.
• Odom initially favors force and revenge against those who persecuted his people. William’s plan asks him to set aside that impulse, show forgiveness, and earn support by proving himself a leader. Odom is stunned by both the strategy and the powerful team assembled for him.
• Daniel is revealed to have survived, reached the Saint Realm, and become an influential figure in the Dark World, where he is fighting Great Demon King Belial.

Character interactions

• William urges Odom to avoid slaughtering ordinary dwarven soldiers, reminding him that his actions could invite attacks on Dawn City’s forces.
• He reassures Odom that his bloodline may still have secret supporters among the dwarves, then outlines a path to turn that possibility into public momentum.
• William’s confidence and teasing—especially his boast about his own looks—lighten an otherwise serious discussion, while his final appeal asks Odom to prioritize unity over revenge.
• Players approach William hoping for quests, but he remains focused on Odom and the larger political plan.

Significant themes

• Revenge versus reconciliation: Odom’s desire to punish past enemies conflicts with the need to win over the wider dwarf population.
• Legitimacy and public perception: Odom’s bloodline alone may not secure power; he must gain recognition and demonstrate leadership.
• Power through alliances and momentum: William uses a diverse coalition, public attention, and carefully orchestrated events instead of relying solely on military force.
• The costs of war: A direct conflict could weaken Dawn City and make lasting unity among the dwarves impossible.

Key plot points and events

• Odom Heavyhammer returns to Dawn City after William persuades him to go back to Lonely Mountain. In three days, he and the all-Epic Lonely Mountain Squad will travel there openly on magical warhorses rather than use a Portal, giving the Dwarf Kingdoms a chance to stop them.
• To maintain his promised defense of the border, William sends Burning Ash to replace Odom. Border clashes continue, but no full-scale war breaks out, leaving the players to pass the time with games and duels while still earning pay and experience.
• William deploys tens of thousands of hired bards to spread Odom’s story across the continent. In a Blacklock Dwarf Kingdom town, one bard tells locals that Odom is the surviving heir of the ancient Lonely Mountain Empire, has the bloodline needed to open Lonely Mountain’s sealed gate, and intends to unite the Seven Dwarf Kingdoms and restore the empire.
• The bard presents Odom’s mission as a noble cause and names his powerful allies, including Lancelot, Acaro, and McLean. He hints that opposition and danger will soon arise, though the squad has not yet encountered any.
• William’s larger plan is to establish Odom’s identity and purpose in the public imagination, weaken the Seven Dwarf Kingdoms without immediate bloodshed, and turn the journey into a continent-wide legend. Any resistance could increase the squad’s renown.

Character developments and interactions

• Odom moves from reluctance to commitment, returning to pursue his heritage and his goal of restoring the Lonely Mountain Empire.
• William acts as strategist and propagandist: he arranges the journey, replaces Odom at the border, and uses bardic storytelling to build legitimacy and public support.
• Burning Ash takes Odom’s place in William’s border defense.
• The bard and the dwarves share a lively, comic exchange. The townsfolk’s curiosity—and the older dwarves’ unease at hearing about the former empire—shows how differently the story lands with younger and older generations.
• The named members of Odom’s squad are framed as a united group of legendary figures, drawn from different factions by Odom’s ambition.

Significant themes

• Stories as political power: William uses popular tales to shape public opinion and make Odom’s claim appear legitimate.
• Heritage and restoration: Odom’s bloodline links him to a lost empire and gives his personal mission wider political meaning.
• Ambition and reputation: The squad’s journey is intended not only to reach Lonely Mountain but also to create a legend, with opposition potentially strengthening its renown.
• Strategic conflict: William seeks political change without starting a direct war, while remaining ready to use force if others intervene.

Plot points and events

• Seven days after the kingdoms’ tensions escalated, the Red Fire Kingdom and the Sand Sea Kingdom begin their first major battle. Each sends 90,000 troops to meet the other in a direct clash, with neither side willing to surrender the border steles.
• Epic-class figures stay out of the fighting, holding their positions and keeping each other in check.
• At a Red Fire fortress, Blood-Hand Butcher Gugas and Light Hanton both vow to kill William Blackleaf. Gugas resents William for crippling his arms at the Magic-Martial Tournament; Hanton blames him for an earlier failed assassination attempt that killed Hanton’s younger brother and other family agents.
• The Sand Sea Kingdom’s Sandstorm Legion and the Red Fire Kingdom’s Blazing Legion advance. Both are elite forces of 90,000 High-Class Professionals. The Blazing Legion’s fiery armor and shared Fire affinity give it a powerful defensive formation.
• The Legions unleash enormous Combo Skills—a spear and a saber—which collide with devastating force, killing or incapacitating soldiers and frightening even the Grandmaster spectators.
• The armies then meet in brutal close combat. Shield Warriors bear the worst of the first impact, but neither Legion retreats. Soldiers continue fighting through severe wounds, often killing one another in the process.

Character development and interactions

• Gugas is still consumed by his grievance against William, but he values personal strength and scorns the Hanton Family’s sense of entitlement. He doubts Light Hanton’s claimed status as a Title-Bearing Epic.
• Light Hanton is driven by revenge for his brother and the other assassins killed while targeting William. He and Gugas share a target but have different motives.
• William watches from the Red Fire fortress wall; his presence intensifies the Sand Sea commanders’ hostility, though he does not join the battle in this chapter.
• Brian, beside William, recognizes the stakes: because neither side can afford to retreat, defeat could mean annihilation.
• Players and Streamers, including Angry Little Fatty, watch and comment on the battle. They recognize the Legions’ power and reconsider earlier wars, concluding that the forces they saw in the Far North may not have been the kingdoms’ full strength.

Significant themes

• Honor, loyalty, and national memory: The soldiers fight not only for their rulers, families, or personal honors, but also for compatriots killed in centuries of border conflict.
• Resolve and sacrifice: The Legions accept only victory and press on despite catastrophic injuries. The chapter’s central ideal is captured in its closing sentiment: they will “die on their feet.”
• The brutality of war: Impressive military power comes at a terrible human cost, with the Legions’ spectacular skills followed by intimate, lethal hand-to-hand combat.
• Pride and vengeance: Gugas’s personal desire for revenge contrasts with Hanton’s family grievance, while both reflect the way old insults and losses fuel present conflict.

Chapter Summary: “Crushing Them”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Blazing Legion and Sandstorm Legion clash directly on the border. Because both armies consist largely of High-Class Professionals, conventional siege weapons are mostly ineffective.
• Bruce Liehuo, commander of the Blazing Legion, breaks through from High-Class to Grandmaster during the battle. However, he is immediately surrounded and receives no opportunity to recover.
• Despite his new strength, Bruce is overwhelmed by the Sandstorm Legion’s disciplined numbers and relentless attacks. He kills many enemies but suffers severe wounds before being slain less than thirty seconds after his breakthrough.
• The battle rapidly becomes a bloodbath. After an hour, fewer than thirty thousand soldiers remain, fighting among mountains of corpses without retreating.
• William observes that the Raging Fire Legion is gradually gaining the advantage, suggesting the Red Fire Kingdom may win—until the Sand Sea Kingdom deploys thirty thousand Sand Sea Iron Cavalry.
• The cavalry includes the terrifying Wild Sand Heavy Cavalry Corps, composed largely of Grandmasters and led by powerful Epic Professionals. Their arrival threatens to annihilate both the surviving Blazing and Sandstorm soldiers.
• The Red Fire Kingdom’s generals consider abandoning their exhausted troops, but William rejects this strategy. He argues that the kingdom must respond to the enemy’s “rule-breaking” deployment with its own Epic powerhouses.
• After Brian decides to commit the Red Flame Cavalry and authorize a direct confrontation, William charges alone into the Sand Sea cavalry.
• William defeats Light Hanton before he can activate his domain, using him as a weapon against the cavalry and then throwing him into another Epic Professional. He follows by smashing both of them into the enemy fortress.
• William ends the chapter standing before the Sand Sea Kingdom’s gathered Epic powerhouses, confidently declaring that he is invincible among Epic Professionals.

Character Developments

• Bruce Liehuo: Experiences a dramatic breakthrough to Grandmaster, but his death emphasizes that individual strength cannot guarantee survival against a coordinated army. His final stand showcases his courage, determination, and willingness to fight to the death.
• William: Displays overwhelming confidence and power. He refuses to sacrifice the soldiers under his allies’ command and personally intervenes against the cavalry. His actions establish him as an exceptionally dominant Epic-level combatant.
• Brian: Initially hesitates because of the potential casualties and the number of enemy Epics, but ultimately trusts William and makes the decisive choice to confront the Sand Sea forces.
• Red Fire Kingdom’s generals: Their willingness to abandon the remaining soldiers reveals a pragmatic but morally questionable military outlook. William’s disapproval contrasts leadership based on survival with leadership based on loyalty and responsibility.
• Light Hanton: Appears as a hostile Epic opponent seeking revenge against William, but is effortlessly overpowered before he can demonstrate his strength.

Significant Themes

• The limits of individual power: Bruce’s breakthrough shows that even a Grandmaster can be killed when surrounded by a large, organized force.
• Sacrifice and military duty: Soldiers continue fighting despite overwhelming casualties because they are defending their homeland. The chapter questions whether commanders should sacrifice troops for strategic victory.
• Leadership and responsibility: William believes a true leader must protect the soldiers who rely on him, rather than abandoning them when the situation becomes unfavorable.
• Escalation and broken rules: The Sand Sea Kingdom escalates the conflict by deploying a powerful cavalry force against an exhausted army. William responds by abandoning restraint and bringing Epic-level strength directly into the battle.
• Overwhelming confidence: William’s declaration that he is “Epic-invincible” reflects both his immense strength and his fearless, almost provocative personality.

Character Interactions

• William and Brian: Brian challenges William to clarify how many Epic opponents he can stop. William responds with absolute confidence, prompting Brian to authorize the counterattack.
• William and Light Hanton: Light Hanton attempts to threaten and provoke William, but William interrupts him, seizes him, and uses him to devastate the cavalry formation.
• William and the generals: William implicitly rebukes the generals for considering the surviving troops expendable, choosing action over their cautious strategy.
• William and the enemy Epics: His attack forces the Sand Sea Kingdom’s Epic Professionals to confront him directly, setting up a major battle as the chapter ends.

Chapter Summary: “Epic and Invincible!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• William confronts the Sand Sea Kingdom’s forces after they use thirty thousand elite cavalry to attack a much smaller Dawn City force. He accuses them of violating their own supposed rules of war.
• Light Hanton, a title-bearing epic and heir to the powerful Hanton Family, insults William and the Black Leaf Elves. William responds by overpowering him, crushing half his skull, and using him as a warning to the other Sand Sea experts.
• Several epic professionals attempt to protect Light Hanton, but none can stop William. When Light’s father, the Golden Sand Swordmaster, arrives and demands his son’s release, William kills Light outright by crushing his skull.
• William’s allies—including Burning Ash, Diablo, and Brian—arrive and disrupt the Sand Sea Iron Cavalry, while Dawn City’s Red Flame Cavalry forces the enemy troops to retreat.
• The Sand Sea experts collectively open their domains, creating a vast and destructive battlefield filled with fire, lightning, wind, metal, sandstorms, and spatial distortions. The overlapping domains injure fighters on both sides.
• William becomes the main target of the Sand Sea forces. His lightning-based domain activates Thunder Slash’s Yin Lightning debuff, causing severe internal injuries and vitality loss among his opponents.
• The Golden Sand Swordmaster joins the battle, revealing himself as the strongest epic beneath the legendary realm. He wounds William with a powerful golden sword strike and orders Gugas to help kill him.
• Despite being outnumbered, William fights several epic experts simultaneously. After three minutes, both sides are injured, but William remains the dominant combatant.
• Using Thunder Slash’s Lightning Flash ability, William instantly teleports to Licang Luola, the female archmage who had repeatedly provoked him and supported the Sand Sea forces. He cuts her in half and stores her corpse in his space ring.
• Immediately afterward, he kills an epic Shield Warrior by smashing through his shield, tearing open his chest, and crushing his heart.
• The chapter ends with William demonstrating overwhelming superiority and confirming his reputation: within the epic realm, he is effectively invincible.

Character Developments

• William becomes increasingly ruthless and confident. He refuses to tolerate insults, threats, or attacks against Dawn City, and his actions show that he is willing to kill powerful enemies rather than merely defeat them. His control over lightning, domains, and Thunder Slash makes him capable of fighting numerous epic experts at once.
• Light Hanton is exposed as arrogant and dependent on his family’s power. Although he initially boasts about his father’s approaching legendary status, he is unable to defend himself and is brutally killed by William.
• Gugas loses much of his previous arrogance. He recognizes William’s terrifying strength and hesitates to fight him directly, though he eventually joins the battle for the sake of the Sand Sea Kingdom’s larger interests.
• Licang Luola is revealed as a manipulative socialite who uses seduction and political influence to control powerful men, including Light Hanton’s lustful father. Her confidence collapses when William targets her directly, and she dies despite exhausting her defensive abilities.
• The Golden Sand Swordmaster is introduced as Light’s enraged father and one of the strongest epic professionals. His fury over his sons’ deaths drives him into the conflict, but his arrival only escalates William’s determination.
• William’s allies—Burning Ash, Diablo, Brian, and the Dawn City cavalry—demonstrate coordinated support, preventing the Sand Sea army from exploiting William’s engagement with the epic experts.

Significant Themes

• Power and supremacy: The chapter emphasizes the gap between ordinary epics and William, who can withstand coordinated attacks from multiple high-level opponents.
• Consequences of arrogance: Light Hanton’s insults and reliance on family status lead directly to his death. The Sand Sea elites’ confidence in their numbers also proves insufficient.
• Retaliation and family loyalty: The Hanton family responds to Light’s defeat by sending his father, turning a personal confrontation into a larger battle. This cycle of revenge intensifies the conflict.
• Political hypocrisy: William points out that the Sand Sea Kingdom condemns outside interference while permitting its own overwhelming forces to attack weaker troops.
• Individual strength versus collective power: Although the Sand Sea experts possess numbers and overlapping domains, William’s personal combat ability allows him to break through their coordinated assault.
• Fearlessness and reputation: William’s declaration that he is invincible in the epic realm is validated by his actions, reinforcing his image as a terrifying and almost legendary figure.

Important Character Interactions

• William verbally clashes with Gugas and the purple-robed archmage over the Sand Sea Kingdom’s actions and its threats against the Dawn Army.
• Light Hanton insults William and the Black Leaf Elves, provoking William into attacking and ultimately killing him.
• The female archmage attempts to intimidate William by invoking Light Hanton’s powerful father, but William instead insults her mentor and exposes her provocative, manipulative nature.
• The Golden Sand Swordmaster confronts William over Light’s death and orders Gugas to assist in killing him.
• Gugas reluctantly joins the attack while simultaneously fighting Brian, revealing his conflict between fear of William and loyalty to the Sand Sea Kingdom.
• William specifically targets Licang Luola because of her role in controlling the battlefield, killing her before turning his attention to another epic warrior.