Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key events

• The author thanks readers for tips, subscriptions, alliance leadership, and specific large rewards.
• Numerous readers are individually acknowledged, including those who gave rewards of 10,000 and 6,000 units.
• The author explains that the acknowledgments come from weekly tip records, though some supporters may have been missed because names were pushed down the list. QQ Reading supporters cannot be viewed in the same records, so they are thanked through cards instead.
• Average subscriptions have reached over 700.
• The author launches a subscription and reward incentive:
  • If average subscriptions reach 1,000 before 6 p.m., two additional chapters will be released.
  • One extra chapter will be added for every 20,000 Qidian Coins received.
• The author clarifies that maintaining a stockpile of chapters is intended to prevent running out of material, not simply to accumulate rewards.

Character developments

• No fictional characters develop in this chapter. The focus is on the author’s relationship with and appreciation for the readership.

Significant themes

• Gratitude and community support.
• The importance of reader engagement in sustaining the work.
• Transparency about subscription goals, reward systems, and chapter reserves.
• The author’s effort to balance appreciation, incentives, and reliable content updates.

Character interactions

• The main interaction is between the author and the readers, expressed through public thanks for tips, subscriptions, and leadership.
• The author encourages readers to subscribe and support the work while promising additional chapters in return.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Moxis performs the Dragonblood magic ritual again, using Dragon Crystals to transform Julio, Albert, and two others into Dragon Speakers.
• Julio’s bloodline breaks through its limit, elevating him to an Epic Boss. The others do not gain Legendary Bloodlines, but receive major increases in level and attributes, as well as the ability to transform into humanoid monsters and wield two elemental affinities.
• Dragonheart Essence greatly strengthens Julio and Albert, especially Albert, whose existing Fire-Element Battle Aura combines with Fire Dragon Tongue Magic.
• Dawn City’s core members begin to realize how mysterious and powerful Moxis is. William refuses to explain Moxis’s origins or strength, while Moxis spends his days breaking his curse, sleeping, and petting cats.
• William inspects Dawn City’s underground Blacksmith Workshop, where high-quality equipment is forged using dragon materials. Old Hank works on a chest guard made from a Fire Dragon’s Reverse Scale.
• William orders the remaining Dragon Scales to be forged into armor for the Dragonblood Warriors, intending to turn them into Dawn City’s elite force.
• The city’s blacksmiths use an assembly-line process to produce Silver Gear. However, limited Mithril supplies mean only the Intermediate soldiers currently receive full Silver equipment; Low-Class soldiers generally use Blue Gear.
• William reviews Dawn City’s military and political position. The Steel Duchy suffered severe losses after sending 6,000 soldiers to kill the dragon, with only 1,000 surviving. Dawn City also captured supplies and equipment from the Military Fortress.
• These losses allow the Blackrock Duchy to regain ground. Trade between Dawn City and Blackrock reopens, though the slave trade remains prohibited. The three powers settle into a tense balance while waiting for a chance to begin a larger war.
• William reaches Level 57 and gains significant permanent attributes from eating Fire Dragon Meat. His equipment remains mostly unchanged, though his Thunder Sword has become an Epic weapon and the Reverse Scale chest guard is expected to reach Epic or Legendary quality.
• As the Open Beta approaches, William focuses on quietly strengthening Dawn City and avoiding unnecessary risks.

Character Developments

• Julio: Breaks through his bloodline limitation and becomes an Epic Boss, marking a major increase in status and combat potential.
• Albert: Gains exceptional power by combining Dragonheart Essence, his Fire-Element Battle Aura, and Fire Dragon Tongue Magic.
• The other Dragon Speakers: Receive substantial stat and level improvements, transformation abilities, and dual-attribute powers, though they do not achieve Legendary Bloodlines.
• Moxis: Remains detached and enigmatic. His power becomes increasingly obvious to Dawn City’s leadership, but he shows little interest in politics or social interaction.
• William: Continues developing as a powerful lord and warrior. At only seventeen, he reaches Level 57, gains enormous health and attributes, and approaches 20,000 HP with his Legendary Bloodline bonus.
• Old Hank: Demonstrates his skill and dedication as a Grandmaster Blacksmith while working painstakingly on the Fire Dragon Reverse Scale.
• Odom: Acts as Deputy City Lord and oversees the blacksmithing operation, though his administrative duties prevent him from personally forging equipment.

Significant Themes

• Power through bloodline and transformation: The Dragonblood ritual shows that individuals benefit differently depending on their innate potential, with Julio achieving a major breakthrough while others gain more limited but still useful abilities.
• Preparation and steady growth: William prioritizes infrastructure, equipment production, military organization, and gradual strengthening before the Open Beta and future conflicts.
• Industrialized warfare: Dawn City’s assembly-line blacksmithing reflects its transformation into a large-scale military power capable of equipping thousands of soldiers.
• Political balance and looming war: The weakened Steel Duchy, recovering Blackrock Duchy, and expanding Dawn City form an unstable three-way balance in which every faction waits for the right moment to strike.
• Youth contrasted with overwhelming power: Despite William’s immense strength and accomplishments, the chapter repeatedly emphasizes that he is still only seventeen.
• Mystery and hidden strength: Moxis’s unexplained origins and power create uncertainty among Dawn City’s leaders, while William deliberately preserves that mystery.

Character Interactions

• Moxis performs the Dragonblood ritual for Julio, Albert, and the other two candidates, directly enabling their transformations and power increases.
• Dawn City’s core members observe Moxis cautiously, but William refuses to clarify who or what he truly is.
• Old Hank ignores William’s arrival while intensely focusing on forging the Reverse Scale, highlighting his dedication to craftsmanship.
• Odom explains the Reverse Scale’s value and the workshop’s production methods to William, who responds by assigning the dragon materials for military armor.
• William’s leadership is shown through his instructions to Odom and his inspection of the city’s industries, while the blacksmiths and soldiers support his broader plan to build Dawn City into a major military power.

Chapter Summary: Game Open Beta (12)

Key Plot Points and Events

• William anxiously awaits the Open Beta after spending a year transforming a small Border Town into the powerful Dawn City, now strong enough to challenge two Human Duchies.
• On March 1st, 2333, over one hundred thousand Huaxia players enter the game. Their arrival sequence reveals major storylines involving:
  • The death of the Blackrock king and the princes’ struggle for succession.
  • A prostitute’s illegitimate son rising from poverty and eventually becoming a heroic, powerful figure.
  • Battles against Demons and Dragons.
  • William’s rise, his control over the Steel Throne, and his apparent ambitions to rule.
• The game officially launches Open Beta under Version 1.0: “King’s War.”
• A mysterious announcement declares the players to be the “Chosen Ones,” causing panic across the continent.
• Players materialize in cities throughout the Human territories, while nobles and commoners react with a mixture of fear, curiosity, greed, and skepticism.
• Some nobles consider exploiting the players as slaves, though most powerful figures initially wait to determine whether the newcomers are truly dangerous.
• The player forum opens immediately and becomes chaotic, with players discussing harassment, strange game mechanics, and the unfamiliar world.
• Players arriving in Dawn City are stunned by its enormous development since the Closed Beta and learn that William has become a Dragon Slayer.
• A player attempts to touch one of Dawn City’s female guards and is instantly killed, establishing that the NPCs—and especially the city’s defenses—are far more powerful than expected.

Character Developments

• William: His anxiety and restlessness reveal how much he fears the Open Beta will disrupt everything he has built. The promotional sequence suggests that his ambitions are now visible to the gods or the game’s controlling system.
• The Blackrock princes: They are portrayed as ruthless contenders for power, with one potentially claiming the throne through violence and betrayal.
• The illegitimate son: His story expands from a tragic survival narrative into one of heroic transformation. He appears destined to become a major figure, possibly connected to Demons, Dragons, and the larger fate of humanity.
• The players: They begin as inexperienced newcomers, but their large numbers and unpredictable behavior immediately make them a major force. Their casual attitudes contrast sharply with the seriousness of the world around them.
• Nobles and commoners: Their reactions expose the social divisions of the continent. Commoners are curious and fascinated, while self-serving nobles view the players primarily as potential resources or slaves.
• Dawn City’s guards: Their instant destruction of an intrusive player demonstrates their discipline, power, and intolerance of inappropriate behavior.

Significant Themes

• The arrival of an unpredictable new force: The players’ descent changes the political and social balance of the continent.
• Power and succession: The opening cinematic emphasizes royal conspiracies, violent competition, and the struggle to control kingdoms.
• Destiny versus manipulation: The players are labeled “Chosen Ones,” but the promotional images imply that unseen gods or the Mainframe may be guiding or exposing the characters’ futures.
• Social inequality and exploitation: Nobles immediately consider using the players for profit, reflecting the brutality of the existing political order.
• Comedy amid danger: Player behavior—especially trolling, harassment, and reckless experimentation—creates humorous situations despite the serious fantasy conflict.
• The transformation of the familiar world: Closed Beta players return to find Dawn City dramatically expanded, suggesting that the NPC world continues developing independently of player involvement.

Character Interactions

• William observes the approaching Open Beta alone, reflecting his private anxiety and sense of responsibility.
• The cinematic depicts the Blackrock princes in rivalry, while the illegitimate son appears connected to the king and the Steel Throne through hidden control and political manipulation.
• Players immediately interact with NPCs in ways that blur the line between game mechanics and real social consequences.
• Female players complain about being watched and harassed by nobles and other players, while forum users respond with jokes, flirtation, and mockery.
• Players encounter Dawn City’s guards and quickly learn that reckless physical interactions with NPCs can result in severe penalties or instant death.

Chapter 123 Summary: “Build Your Own Little Home”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Open Beta begins with roughly 40,000–50,000 Players appearing in Dawn City, with similar numbers arriving in the two Human Duchies. This is only the first wave; Player numbers are expected to grow dramatically.
• The native inhabitants are fascinated by the Players, who behave unpredictably and fearlessly. Some dance in the streets, while one Winged Folk Player breaks his wings, tears them off, commits Suicide to respawn, and returns shortly afterward as if nothing happened.
• Many Players immediately search for quests. Since they are not yet Professionals, they mostly undertake simple tasks such as carrying bricks, wood, and wine. Their enthusiasm and willingness to perform exhausting labor impresses the NPCs.
• Veteran Players Changli Jiugu and Angry Little Pig confirm that they remain members of the Dawn Mercenaries, though they cannot access its quests until they regain Professional status. Changli announces that the Glory Club and its affiliated guilds will eventually join the Dawn Mercenaries.
• Players notice that Dawn City contains many powerful NPCs, including previously unseen Moonlight Elves and an Elven Princess. This leads to arguments on the Forum between Players from Dawn City and the Human Duchies about whether Dawn has an unfair advantage.
• Three days after the Open Beta begins, William summons all Players to Central Square. He praises their diligence, courage, and willingness to face death, then offers them a major chain quest:
  • “Build Your Own Little Home”
  • Players are asked to help construct a new district that will become their future home.
  • The first quest rewards 3,000 EXP, far more than ordinary beginner tasks.
• Nearly all the Players accept the quest enthusiastically. William’s plan is to create an emotional bond between the Players and Dawn City by giving them a home they personally help build.

Character Developments

• William demonstrates his growing understanding of Player psychology. Rather than relying only on combat or rewards, he deliberately cultivates their loyalty by making them feel valued and giving them a personal stake in Dawn City.
• Changli Jiugu shows strong commitment to Dawn City by planning to bring the entire Glory Club and its affiliated guilds into the Dawn Mercenaries.
• Angry Little Pig remains interested in the strategic implications of Changli’s decision and recognizes it as a major move.
• The Players collectively reveal their unusual traits: they are reckless, highly motivated by quests and rewards, indifferent to death, and eager to help NPCs—even with repetitive manual labor.
• The NPCs’ view of the Players begins shifting. Although they initially regard them as strange and possibly impoverished outsiders, they are impressed by their endurance and enthusiasm.

Significant Themes

• Belonging and loyalty: William understands that Players become attached to places they invest time and effort in. By letting them build their own district, he hopes to make Dawn City feel like home.
• Game mechanics versus reality: Players treat death, construction work, and social conflict as game systems, while NPCs interpret their actions as bizarre but meaningful behavior.
• Factional identity: Although Players initially lack strong emotional ties to their birthplaces, they quickly become defensive of their chosen cities. The Forum disputes show the beginnings of faction-based loyalty.
• Power and attraction: Dawn City’s concentration of powerful NPCs and its connection to William make it especially attractive to Players, intensifying rivalry with the Human Duchies.
• Manipulation through rewards: William uses quests, experience, and housing to guide Player behavior while presenting his strategy as generosity.

Character Interactions

• Changli Jiugu and Angry Little Pig meet at the Mercenary Group headquarters, confirm their continued membership, and discuss advancing to Professional status.
• Dawn City Players and Players from the Human Duchies engage in aggressive Forum arguments over the relative advantages of their factions.
• Players crowd around one another to exchange information about the Moonlight Elves and the Elven Princess.
• William addresses the entire Player population directly, praising them before offering the construction quest.
• The Players respond enthusiastically, accepting the quest and preparing to work together on the new district, while William quietly observes the success of his plan.

Chapter Summary: “Crazy Moves (2, Please Subscribe)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Newly arrived players ignore William’s authority as City Lord and crowd around him, attempting to touch, photograph, and record him. His Personal Guards prepare to intervene, but William allows the attention because he enjoys his growing celebrity status.
• William deliberately embraces his image as Dawn City’s handsome, idol-like protagonist NPC. He spends the afternoon posing for players while distributing quests to newcomers, ensuring that his presence will spread widely across the player Forum.
• Goethe Nassis and the First Prince of the Blackrock Duchy secretly observe the players rather than revealing themselves.
• After sunset, Dawn City becomes a brightly illuminated nighttime city, with Magic Lamps covering the streets and trees. Players relax, take pictures, livestream, and enjoy the city’s scenery after grinding.
• Players compare Dawn City favorably with the Human Duchy’s capital, criticizing its poor sanitation, crime, slavery, and dangerous treatment of players. Dawn City’s safety, attractive environment, better quests, and strong NPCs increase its popularity.
• Players discover Moxis, a Legendary figure hidden in a grave near the Divination Shop. This discovery causes more complaints on the Forum that Dawn City is unfairly overpowered.
• The casino attracts crowds when the wealthy player What Can Kui Do to Me? announces that he will spin the Little Wheel one hundred times.
• After spending 100 Gold Coins, he receives one Silver piece of equipment and five Blue pieces, along with some remaining currency. Although he cannot yet use the gear, players calculate that the haul is potentially far more valuable than what he spent.
• His apparent profit causes the Little Wheel to become extremely popular, encouraging many players to gamble despite the risks.

Character Developments

• William becomes increasingly comfortable using his appearance and popularity as political and promotional tools. Rather than resisting the players’ behavior, he intentionally cultivates a fanbase and turns himself into Dawn City’s signature attraction.
• The Personal Guards remain loyal and protective, immediately reacting to the players’ disrespect, though they defer to William’s wishes.
• Goethe Nassis and the First Prince show caution and strategic awareness by observing events from hiding.
• The players are established as highly curious, opportunistic, and entertainment-driven. They are willing to explore, gamble, seek hidden quests, and turn nearly every experience into Forum content.
• What Can Kui Do to Me? is portrayed as both wealthy and ambitious. He spends heavily to gain equipment and social prestige, while his success influences the broader player community.
• Angry Little Pig continues acting as a livestreamer and commentator, helping transform major player activities into public entertainment.

Significant Themes

• Celebrity and spectacle: William intentionally becomes an idol-like NPC, showing how fame can be used to attract players and strengthen Dawn City’s influence.
• Player-driven chaos: The newcomers do not behave like obedient adventurers; their curiosity, irreverence, and unconventional choices constantly disrupt ordinary expectations.
• Dawn City’s superiority: The city is depicted as safer, cleaner, more beautiful, and more rewarding than rival human territories, reinforcing its appeal as the best place for players to settle.
• Capitalism and gambling: The casino demonstrates how players’ real-world wealth and in-game currency interact, while the apparent success of one gambler creates a trend of reckless imitation.
• Information and publicity: Photos, livestreams, quests, and Forum arguments spread knowledge about Dawn City, its powerful figures, and its advantages.
• Unequal access and advantage: Wealthy players can buy large quantities of Gold Coins and pursue better equipment, while others must grind or rely on luck.

Character Interactions

• Players tease and insult one another while admiring William, with one player joking that he is nearly as handsome as the City Lord. Female players especially interact with William indirectly through staged photographs and videos.
• William’s silent cooperation contrasts with his Guards’ readiness to defend his dignity.
• A five-person party discusses the advantages of Dawn City, while the Elf member proudly praises the city and insists that his race’s benefits compensate for slower leveling.
• Players argue on the Forum over whether Dawn City is unfairly favored because of its Legendary figures. Dawn City supporters mock the Blackrock Duchy’s lack of attention, while the Blackrock representative is left speechless.
• What Can Kui Do to Me? performs for the gathered crowd, turning his gambling session into a public spectacle. His winnings persuade other players to imitate him and flood the casino.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Dawn City’s new casino lottery becomes extremely popular, but most players lose nearly all their money. Only a few obtain valuable Silver Weapons, Blue Weapons, equipment, or coins.
• Players begin suspecting the casino’s “Little Wheel” is rigged, but Angry Little Pig points out that the casinos, inns, taverns, and even the city itself belong to City Lord William, making complaints against the system effectively pointless.
• The chapter contrasts the comfortable, entertainment-filled lives of Dawn City players with the harsh conditions faced by players in the Human Duchy. Human Duchy players struggle to find food and quests while being hunted by Warlocks, Mages, and Nobles.
• Warlocks attempt to experiment on players because of their strange ability to revive. Since players can use the Suicide Skill to escape torture, Warlocks begin offering rewards and EXP in exchange for voluntary “research,” leading some players to accept disturbing Hidden Class quests.
• Players rapidly help build Dawn City’s New District. NPC quest chains provide large EXP rewards, causing players to work continuously and progress at an extraordinary rate.
• After roughly one week, the first players reach Level 10 and become eligible to change into Novice Classes. However, they discover that there is no limit to the number of classes they can obtain, creating confusion and concern.
• What Can Kui Do to Me? reveals that taking multiple combat classes dramatically increases leveling costs. After changing into several Battle Aura-related classes, his character, skills, and Battle Aura manual require a combined 64,000 EXP per level. He ultimately decides to delete his account and start over.
• Other players—especially Elves and those who selected multiple combat classes—also restart because the increased EXP requirements make progression excessively difficult.
• Angry Little Pig releases a class-change guide, explaining the game’s class system and recommending that players choose no more than two combat classes. Ordinary players are advised to combine one combat class with a profitable life-type class.
• The chapter ends with the first batch of players reaching Level 10 just as a small battle erupts along the border between the Steel Duchy and the Blackrock Duchy.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Angry Little Pig establishes himself as a knowledgeable guide and influential streamer. Drawing on his Closed Beta experience and information from Changli Jiugu of the Glory Club, he explains the consequences of class choices and provides practical advice.
• What Can Kui Do to Me? becomes an example of the dangers of experimenting with multiple combat classes. His costly mistake demonstrates how the game’s systems punish uninformed decisions.
• William, though not directly active in the chapter, remains central to the setting. His ownership of Dawn City’s businesses means that the casino profits flow into his private coffers, reinforcing his economic power.
• Dawn City players enjoy gambling, nightlife, sightseeing, and free food while also contributing to city construction.
• Human Duchy players endure poverty, exploitation, and violence. Their interactions with Warlocks and Nobles create resentment toward the region and make some consider abandoning it entirely.
• Warlocks and players develop a transactional relationship: the Warlocks want experimental subjects, while players accept dangerous treatment in exchange for EXP, money, or class rewards.
• The players’ discussions reveal their growing awareness of the game’s mechanics, including Luck, EXP scaling, class combinations, and the value of life professions.

Significant Themes

• Gambling and exploitation: The casino system preys on players’ desire for quick rewards, while the city profits from their losses.
• Freedom versus manipulation: Players technically gamble and accept quests voluntarily, but economic desperation and the promise of EXP heavily influence their decisions.
• Unequal player experiences: Dawn City offers comfort and amusement, while the Human Duchy exposes players to hunger, abuse, and dangerous experimentation.
• Trial and error in a game-like world: The absence of class limits encourages experimentation, but poorly informed choices can impose severe penalties and even force players to restart.
• Economic pragmatism: Progress depends not only on combat ability but also on money, professions, gambling, and efficient resource management.
• The value of information: Angry Little Pig’s guide demonstrates how strategic knowledge can protect players from costly mistakes.
• Player resilience and absurdity: Even torture, death, and exploitation become part of a bizarre game economy because players can revive and are willing to endure almost anything for rewards.

Overall Significance

The chapter expands the game’s social and economic systems while revealing the major risks of the class-change mechanic. It also emphasizes the stark difference between Dawn City and the Human Duchy, showing how geography and local governance shape players’ experiences. As players reach Level 10 and gain access to new classes, the story shifts toward more advanced progression—and the emerging conflict between the Steel and Blackrock Duchies hints at larger political and military events ahead.

Chapter Summary: “How to Infiltrate Them”

Key Plot Points and Events

• William meets Lotner atop Sea-Separating Mountain to discuss the escalating conflict between the Blackrock and Steel Duchies.
• A small town near the Steel Duchy’s border was massacred after Blackrock troops claimed that a sheep had been stolen from their camp by a Steel Duchy hunter. The incident appears to be a staged provocation intended to justify war.
• The Steel Duchy itself carried out the attack but blamed Blackrock, worsening tensions and placing Blackrock’s First Prince in an impossible political position.
• Dawn City is caught between the two powers. William recognizes that openly aiding either side would violate Dawn City’s neutrality and could turn a regional human conflict into a factional war involving the Light-aligned kingdoms and the Temple of Light.
• Rather than formally intervening, William contacts Roderick, the regional emissary of the Mercenary Guild. His apparent plan is to use mercenaries as a legal means of influencing the conflict without officially declaring war.
• Roderick realizes that mercenary groups are permitted to participate in wars between Human Countries if they accept legitimate missions. He suspects William intends to exploit this loophole, though he expects compensation.
• Meanwhile, a group of well-funded Players from the Prosperous Millennium Club arrives in Blackrock Royal City. Having reached Novice Professional level and acquired Blue Gear through guild and fan support, they decide to establish their own Mercenary Group rather than join an existing one.

Character Developments

• William demonstrates political awareness and strategic flexibility. Although he acknowledges that Dawn City cannot directly deploy troops, he reveals that he has anticipated this restriction and plans to work around it through the Mercenary Guild.
• Lotner remains cautious and somewhat fearful of William, particularly during their isolated mountain meeting, but he serves as an informed adviser on the Duchies’ conflict.
• Roderick is portrayed as opportunistic, corrupt, and highly pragmatic. He profits from wartime mercenary contracts and immediately suspects William’s intentions, deciding to cooperate only if offered sufficient benefits.
• Eternal Solitude shows growing maturity as a leader. Despite frustration with the exploitative nature of NPC society and uncertainty about his class progression, he makes the practical decision to found a mercenary organization for his team.
• The Prosperous Millennium Players are revealed to be unusually successful because of coordinated financial support from their guilds and fans, allowing them to advance much faster than ordinary Players.

Significant Themes

• Neutrality versus intervention: Dawn City’s neutral status gives it independence but prevents it from openly assisting either Human Duchy.
• Political manipulation and false-flag operations: The massacre is used as a pretext for war, highlighting how rulers manufacture incidents to justify aggression.
• Legal loopholes and indirect power: William plans to influence the war through mercenaries instead of directly sending Dawn City’s army.
• Corruption and self-interest: Roderick and other officials exploit conflict for personal gain, while political actors treat war as a tool for profit and power.
• Players adapting to the NPC world: The Players discover that NPCs are manipulative and difficult to deal with, forcing them to become more strategic and entrepreneurial.
• Economic power: Funding, contracts, equipment, and access to mercenary missions are as important as combat strength.

Character Interactions

• William questions Lotner about the border massacre and tests his understanding of the political situation.
• William contacts Roderick using a deliberately provocative reference to their previous meeting, where a Dark Emissary and Temple Envoy were involved in a violent confrontation. The joke leaves Roderick exasperated.
• Roderick interprets William’s request through the lens of profit, assuming he may be seeking to exploit the coming war financially.
• Eternal Solitude debates whether to join an established mercenary group or create one. His teammates support his decision with exaggerated praise, leading to playful bickering.
• The chapter contrasts William’s high-level political maneuvering with the Players’ more immediate struggle to survive, gain status, and avoid being exploited.

Chapter Summary: “Good Brother”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Steel and Blackrock players engage in another fierce forum argument. Steel players accuse Blackrock supporters of defending corrupt nobles and slavery, while praising the Steel Duchy as a society moving toward freedom and liberalism.
• William recognizes the hypocrisy behind Steel’s victory. Although the Steel Duchy claimed to abolish nobles and slavery, nobles were merely replaced by officials, while Blackrock’s commoners were effectively reduced to slave-like status.
• Roderick, an old acquaintance and regional envoy of the Mercenary Guild, visits William in Dawn City. He complains that the city’s Mercenary Guild is inactive because almost no one forms mercenary groups there.
• William reveals that the Steel and Blackrock Duchies are heading toward war and that he wants to participate through the Dawn Mercenary Group.
• Roderick agrees to protect William’s mercenary group from large-scale retaliation, explaining that the Mercenary Guild’s authority prevents most duchies from openly violating its rules. However, William’s regular military forces cannot participate, or the arrangement could be exposed.
• Roderick hints that he expects compensation for using his influence. William offers him Fire Dragon Heart Blood Essence and the chance to become a Dragon Speaker.
• Astonished and deeply moved by the offer, Roderick immediately pledges his full loyalty, even offering to secretly insert regular troops into the mercenary group if necessary.
• William performs the magical ritual for Roderick, strengthening their relationship and causing Roderick’s favorability toward him to rise above 600. William views the gift as a major investment in future cooperation with the Mercenary Guild.

Character Developments

• William: Demonstrates his strategic thinking, cynicism, and political awareness. He sees through the Steel Duchy’s propaganda and plans to exploit the Mercenary Guild’s rules to join the coming war without openly deploying Dawn City’s forces. He also proves adept at buying loyalty through valuable rewards and long-term investments.
• Roderick: Remains blunt, proud, and physically imposing, but is highly respectful toward William. His attitude changes dramatically once William offers him dragon blood and the Dragon Speaker transformation. His gratitude turns into enthusiastic loyalty, and he begins treating William as a true older brother.
• Steel and Blackrock players: Their conflict reflects how easily players use moral arguments and ideological rhetoric to justify their factional loyalties, regardless of the actual conditions within each duchy.

Significant Themes

• Political hypocrisy: The Steel Duchy’s claims of freedom conceal a transfer of power rather than genuine liberation.
• Propaganda and moral manipulation: Steel players use accusations of slavery and oppression to silence Blackrock supporters, even though Steel’s own system produces similar injustices.
• Power of institutions: The Mercenary Guild’s neutrality and authority limit what states can do, allowing William to exploit its rules for strategic purposes.
• Loyalty through mutual benefit: William strengthens political relationships not through sentiment alone, but through calculated investments and valuable opportunities.
• Ideological conflict versus reality: Public claims about freedom, nobility, and reform differ sharply from the actual treatment of ordinary people.

Important Character Interactions

• William and the forum debate: William privately dismisses the Steel players’ moral posturing and understands the contradiction behind their victory.
• William and Roderick: Their conversation begins with teasing and indirect negotiation, then shifts into a business arrangement framed as brotherly affection.
• Roderick’s reaction to the offer: The Fire Dragon blood and Dragon Speaker transformation overwhelm him, causing his loyalty and emotional attachment to William to increase dramatically.
• Final relationship dynamic: William acts as the calculating “older brother,” while Roderick eagerly embraces the role of the grateful and devoted “younger brother.”

Chapter 126: “Shock Bomb” — Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Roderick’s magic ritual succeeds beyond expectations: he becomes a Dragon Speaker, and his former Epic-Class potential rises to Legendary-Class.
• William is pleased but cautious. Although his favorability toward Roderick is extremely high, he recognizes that favorability is not the same as loyalty.
• William decides to strengthen ties with the Mercenary Guild, seeing Roderick as a future Legendary ally who may help Dawn City cooperate with powerful factions.
• He plans to travel to the Blackrock Duchy with a few experts to investigate its conflict with the Steel Duchy. He does not intend to launch an immediate war, but wants to prepare for future missions and recruit Players.
• William rules out visiting the Steel Duchy, since its ruler, Goethe Nassis, previously attempted to assassinate him. He believes entering its territory would expose him to covert attacks.
• His strategy toward Players is to recruit some, win over others, and suppress hostile groups, especially those in the Steel Duchy. He plans to make his position clear before negotiating with the Blackrock Duchy’s First Prince.
• William unveils a major new reward in the Dawn Mercenary Group’s exchange system: Legendary-Quality Fire Dragon Heart Essence Blood, redeemable for 100,000 Contribution Points. Those who obtain it also receive a free ritual to become Dragonblood Warriors.
• The reward immediately causes a sensation on the Gods Forum. Players outside Dawn City envy those with access, while Dawn City Players begin preparing to grind missions and accumulate Contribution Points.
• Glory Club treats the Dragon Blood as a must-have asset for its Professional Players, believing it could significantly affect professional competition.
• Glory captain Chu Liuqiu mobilizes Glory Guild members to gather Contribution Points. Since points can be traded, fans may exchange them for signed memorabilia, posters, figurines, and other goods.
• Changli Jiugu, an ambitious rising player who has not yet played an official match, becomes determined to obtain the Dragon Blood himself rather than rely on the Club to allocate it to him.

Character Developments

• William demonstrates greater political awareness and long-term planning. He seeks alliances with powerful factions while carefully managing old grudges and potential dangers.
• He also shows a shrewd understanding of Player psychology, using an extraordinary reward to attract attention and increase recruitment for his Mercenary Group.
• Roderick receives an enormous boost in status and potential, transforming from a talented outsider into a future Legendary-level figure.
• Prince appears frustrated and jealous that an outsider gained a benefit he had failed to produce among his own talents, but he remains pragmatic about Roderick’s value.
• Chu Liuqiu reveals his determination to secure every competitive advantage for Glory Club, even if that requires organizing the entire affiliated Guild.
• Changli Jiugu displays ambition and independence, refusing to passively wait for institutional support.

Significant Themes

• Strategic alliances and political pragmatism: William believes strength comes from cultivating relationships rather than making enemies everywhere.
• Favorability versus loyalty: High affection or goodwill does not guarantee true allegiance, leaving William wary even of those close to him.
• Power and opportunity: Roderick’s transformation highlights how rare opportunities can radically alter a character’s future.
• Player influence and competition: In-game resources have real social and professional consequences, especially for competitive Players.
• Manipulation through rewards: William deliberately uses the Fire Dragon Blood as a “shock bomb” to generate publicity, recruitment, and excitement.
• Factional rivalry: Dawn City, the Blackrock Duchy, and the Steel Duchy are increasingly connected through political conflict, mercenary activity, and Player interests.

Important Character Interactions

• William observes Roderick’s departure and privately weighs the limits of their relationship.
• Prince reacts bitterly to Roderick’s newfound Legendary potential, contrasting the outsider’s success with his own failed efforts.
• William plans to use his relationship with Roderick and the Mercenary Guild to expand Dawn City’s future influence.
• William’s announcement indirectly unites Dawn City Players and Glory Club members around the goal of obtaining the Dragon Blood.
• Chu Liuqiu organizes Glory Guild supporters, while Changli Jiugu begins considering how to secure the reward for himself, hinting at possible internal competition within Glory Club.

Chapter Summary: “Hidden Quest (7)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Spring begins, making farming the top priority in Dawn City. William ensures that commoners can plow and sow their fields before the rains, with Minotaurs renting out and caring for draft cattle.
• Farming expands beyond Dawn City to the area around the newly established Radiant Fortress.
• The players, having little interest in agriculture, spend their time causing trouble through duels, field PvP, guild conflicts, and fights over equipment. Although Dawn City’s laws prevent major disturbances inside the city, clashes continue outside its gates.
• William decides to channel the players’ aggression into a controlled Gladiator Arena. He summons Odom and assigns him to build a large arena in the New District.
• The arena is intended not only for player combat but also as a profitable form of entertainment. Commoners will pay admission to watch, while rankings, titles such as “War God,” prizes, demonic beasts, and powerful Orc opponents will encourage participation.
• William considers introducing a formal Ladder Ranking system ahead of schedule. Unlike the existing Level Rankings, which mainly reward grinding, the ladder would measure genuine combat ability through seasonal competition and prestigious rewards.
• Changli Jiugu approaches William and dramatically begs for an opportunity to become stronger. William invents a hidden quest for him: investigate an abandoned demon cavern fifty miles southwest of Dawn City and determine whether dark creatures have appeared there.
• Changli Jiugu accepts the quest enthusiastically and departs.

Character Developments

• William demonstrates his practical leadership by prioritizing agriculture while also recognizing how to manage the players’ disruptive behavior. He develops an increasingly sophisticated understanding of game systems, player psychology, professional gamers, rankings, and monetization.
• Odom proves himself an increasingly capable administrator and entrepreneur. He immediately understands the Arena’s potential to reduce public disorder and generate revenue, showing that he has learned to exploit the players’ enthusiasm for profit.
• Changli Jiugu reveals himself as highly opportunistic and theatrical. He uses exaggerated humility, fake tears, self-deprecation, and appeals to loyalty to manipulate William into giving him a quest.
• The players are portrayed as restless and competitive. Their freedom from permanent death encourages reckless violence, while their desire for entertainment, fame, and rewards makes them ideal participants in the planned Arena.

Significant Themes

• Managing chaos through institutions: Rather than simply punish the players for fighting, William creates a formal arena where their aggression can be controlled and made useful.
• The fusion of game mechanics and reality: Rankings, respawning, quests, rewards, and player behavior function as practical social and economic forces within the world.
• Profit and entertainment: William and Odom turn player combat into a commercial spectacle, revealing the growing commercialization of Dawn City.
• Fame as motivation: William recognizes that professional players are driven not merely by experience or levels but by reputation, status, and proof of skill.
• Manipulation and artificial quests: Changli Jiugu’s successful request shows that NPCs and players are learning to exploit the game’s systems proactively rather than waiting for conventional quests to appear.
• Civilization and development: Alongside the players’ violence, Dawn City continues progressing through farming, infrastructure, law enforcement, and organized public entertainment.

Important Character Interactions

• William and Odom: William proposes the Gladiator Arena, while Odom expands the idea into a full system involving ticket sales, rankings, rewards, monsters, and Orc combatants. Their exchange highlights their growing cooperation and shared commercial instincts.
• William and the players: William observes their disorder from the city wall and transforms their disruptive behavior into an opportunity for governance and income.
• William and Changli Jiugu: Changli Jiugu performs an emotional plea for advancement. William sees through the manipulation but chooses to reward it by creating a dangerous hidden quest, partly to send him away and partly to test him.
• Changli Jiugu and William’s authority: Changli’s exaggerated submission shows how deeply players understand the importance of favorability and NPC approval in gaining access to special content.

Chapter 130: “Stirring Up Trouble II” — Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• William had assigned Changli Jiugu the Demon Cavern quest to lure out the dungeon crystal hidden in Mist Valley.
• Most players had reached level 10 and changed classes, but Dawn City lacked nearby enemies and combat quests. As a result, players were forced to perform mundane tasks such as moving bricks, gathering herbs, and mining, causing frustration and complaints on the forums.
• William could not provide more combat opportunities because he had already eliminated many nearby threats. The eastern and western regions also remained too dangerous to disturb, containing powerful orc tribes, Dragon Speakers, and other hostile forces.
• Changli Jiugu returned after two days, having undertaken the hidden quest alone. To prepare, he spent heavily on a silver weapon and other equipment, fearing the mission would be dangerous.
• When he reached the Demon Cavern, he found that it had been completely destroyed. The area had become a shattered valley filled with crude graves and decaying corpses, but no enemies attacked him.
• After searching the valley, Changli Jiugu discovered that the quest had already been completed, making his expensive preparations unnecessary.
• He reported to William, who praised his courage and loyalty. As a reward, William gave him the incomplete inheritance of the hidden class skill, Flame Warrior Epic Battle Aura.
• Changli Jiugu realized that the reward greatly improved his chances of later receiving the legendary Fire Dragon Heart Essence Blood. His favorability with William also increased.
• William deliberately used Changli Jiugu as an example to encourage other players to serve him diligently. He hoped players would believe that loyalty and useful service could lead to extraordinary rewards.
• William then placed the Mist Valley dungeon crystal in the mercenary group and left Dawn City with his people.
• The Dawn Mercenary Group announced the dungeon’s availability, causing the players to rush excitedly toward its headquarters.

Character Developments

• Changli Jiugu proves himself cautious, determined, and willing to take risks alone despite pressure from his club teammates. His success earns William’s trust and a valuable hidden-class inheritance.
• He also begins to understand William’s strategy: the city lord distrusts the generally lazy and opportunistic players but wants to reward those who demonstrate loyalty and competence.
• William shows himself to be calculating and politically minded. He gives Changli Jiugu a powerful reward not only as compensation, but also as propaganda to attract more obedient and useful players.
• William’s reward is revealed to be easily obtained from his powerful subordinates, making the quest less costly to him than it appears.

Significant Themes

• Rewarding loyalty and obedience: William wants players to understand that sincere service can lead to enormous benefits.
• Player frustration versus NPC priorities: Players want combat and progression, while William’s strategic concerns prevent him from opening dangerous regions.
• Manipulation and reputation-building: Changli Jiugu’s reward serves as an example designed to influence the wider player community.
• Risk versus reward: Changli Jiugu spends heavily and risks failure, only to discover the danger has already passed, yet his willingness to act still earns him a major reward.
• The growing integration of players into Dawn City’s power structure: Players are increasingly being treated as useful agents, soldiers, and potential representatives of the city lord.

Character Interactions

• Changli Jiugu and his club teammates: He hides the solo quest from them to avoid jealousy, suspicion, and internal conflict.
• Changli Jiugu and William: Their interaction establishes a relationship based on loyalty and patronage. William praises him, rewards him, and publicly positions him as an example for other players.
• William and the wider player community: Although he does not directly address everyone, William uses Changli Jiugu’s success to send a message: players who work hard for him may receive hidden classes and other exceptional rewards.
• Players and the Dawn Mercenary Group: The players react enthusiastically to the Mist Valley dungeon announcement, providing the chapter’s final burst of excitement.
  Note: The chapter ends with a humorous author-side comment acknowledging that the chapters were released out of order and that the author had intended to publish this one later.

Chapter Summary: “Stirring Things Up”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Mist Valley Crystal Dungeon opens, attracting large numbers of job-changing Players to the Mercenary Group headquarters.
• The first teams, including Glory Club’s Chu Liuqiu and his teammates, are quickly teleported out after failing to survive even thirty minutes on Normal difficulty.
• Chu concludes that Players currently lack the levels, equipment, skills, and specialized Dark Creature resistance needed to clear the dungeon. He advises everyone to level up, improve their skills, and stockpile anti-Dark Creature Potions before prices rise.
• Since the dungeon allows up to one hundred Players, Guilds and Clubs may need to cooperate to attempt it, though rivalries and distrust make collaboration difficult.
• William travels toward Blackrock Duchy with Lotner, Alec, Legolas, and Albert. At the border, he separates from them, sending them to establish Dawn Mercenary Group branches in major cities while he proceeds alone.
• William reflects on the political value of Players, recognizing that NPC factions are beginning to recruit and exploit the Undying Chosen Ones. He feels the need to strengthen his own forces rather than rely on Players’ loyalty.
• He enters Rhine City disguised in a black cloak and using a false identity. Players identify him as a mysterious Legendary NPC and follow him, hoping to trigger a quest.
• When city patrol guards stop William and demand identification, he violently attacks them. He smashes through the patrol captain and the City Lord’s Manor gates, then uses mysterious soul-related magic to revive and empower the captain.
• The revived captain begins attacking his own soldiers while William advances into the manor, leaving the watching Players shocked and eager to record the event.

Character Developments

• Chu Liuqiu: Becomes more pragmatic after the dungeon failure. Rather than repeatedly wasting experience, he urges Glory’s members to prepare properly and exploit the coming demand for resistance Potions.
• William: Demonstrates increasing confidence, strategic awareness, and willingness to create chaos deliberately. He uses disguise and spectacle to provoke the authorities and attract Player attention while pursuing his larger political objectives.
• Lotner, Alec, Legolas, and Albert: Show growing trust in William and accept their assignment to expand the Dawn Mercenary Group without worrying about his safety.
• Players: Their curiosity and opportunism are emphasized. They immediately pursue the mysterious Legendary NPC, hoping his actions will generate quests, rewards, or valuable information.

Significant Themes

• Preparation versus ambition: The dungeon exposes the gap between Players’ enthusiasm and their actual strength.
• Resource exploitation: Chu recognizes that anti-Dark Creature Potions will become valuable, reflecting the Players’ tendency to turn crises into commercial opportunities.
• Political use of Players: William understands that Undying Players are powerful tools that every faction may attempt to control.
• Power and intimidation: William’s assault on the patrol demonstrates the overwhelming gap between a Legendary figure and ordinary city guards.
• Spectacle and information: Players’ recordings and livestreams turn William’s attack into a public event, showing how reputation and rumors can spread rapidly through Player communities.
• Moral ambiguity: William’s manipulation of the patrol captain and use of soul magic portray him as a dangerous, ruthless force willing to destabilize institutions to achieve his goals.

Character Interactions

• Chu Liuqiu advises Glory’s members and warns them about dungeon preparation and Potion prices.
• William parts from his followers at the border, assigning them the task of expanding the Mercenary Group.
• Players observe and discuss William’s Legendary status, debating whether approaching him is worth the danger.
• The patrol captain confronts William and demands identification, leading to a one-sided battle.
• William uses the wounded captain against his own soldiers, turning the guards’ resistance into chaos while the Players watch in disbelief.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• William infiltrates Rhine City, the Steel Duchy’s key supply center behind three heavily fortified border strongholds.
• Rather than destroy supplies, he deliberately assassinates the City Lord to provoke the Steel Duchy into open conflict and disrupt its efforts to recruit Players.
• William attacks the City Lord’s manor, using Soul Magic to locate hidden targets and a ghostlike Soul-powered arrow to bypass a shield and strike the City Lord.
• The apparent City Lord is revealed to be a powerful substitute. He counterattacks with Flame Battle Aura and the Thunder Sword, but William survives with his Soul Shield, defeats him, and decapitates him.
• William detects the real City Lord hiding behind a concealed wall. He breaks through the wall, seizes him, and kills him brutally by tearing out part of his spine.
• He then fights his way out of the manor and escapes the city, killing or overwhelming the guards despite being surrounded.
• The assassination creates major tension between the Steel Duchy and the Blackrock Duchy. A royal investigation team, including Legendary Bosses Goethe Nassis and Augustine, arrives the next day.
• After examining the scene, Goethe and Augustine deduce that William—associated with Dawn City and the Lightning Element—was responsible.
• Goethe orders Augustine to continue assassinating border officials and military personnel while he targets domestic nobles. Their goal is to create enough tension to make the Blackrock Duchy believe an attack is imminent before the planned war in two months.
• Augustine claims responsibility for dealing with William, connecting the conflict to an earlier grudge from the Dragon-Slaying War.

Character Developments

• William: Demonstrates overwhelming strength, tactical awareness, and a ruthless, decisive fighting style. He uses Soul Magic creatively, revealing improved mastery and an ability to sense living beings through walls. His attack also shows his confidence and willingness to provoke powerful enemies directly.
• The City Lord: Revealed as cautious and deceitful, having prepared a substitute to protect himself. Despite these precautions, he is weak compared with William and is killed almost effortlessly once discovered.
• Goethe Nassis: Displays sharp analytical abilities by identifying William from the evidence. He remains calm and strategic, focusing on manipulating political tensions and preparing for war.
• Augustine: Shows anger and a personal desire for revenge against William. Although impressed by William’s strength, he is determined to hunt him down.
• Goethe and Augustine: Their intimate exchange suggests a close romantic or emotionally dependent relationship, contrasting with their otherwise ruthless military roles.

Significant Themes

• Provoking war through calculated violence: William kills the City Lord not to damage the Steel Duchy materially, but to force political escalation.
• Power and deception: The substitute City Lord, hidden chambers, and false identities emphasize the importance of caution and intelligence in a world dominated by powerful figures.
• The growing influence of Soul Magic: William’s ability to detect life through walls gives him an unusual advantage and distinguishes him from ordinary Players.
• Reputation and deterrence: William’s spectacular assault sends a message that Dawn City cannot be threatened without consequences.
• Political manipulation: Both sides use assassinations and covert operations to shape public perceptions and prepare for war.
• Personal revenge amid larger conflicts: Augustine’s pursuit of William is motivated not only by military duty but also by an unresolved personal grievance.

Character Interactions

• William clashes with the City Lord’s guards, mocking their attempts to protect their master and overpowering them through superior speed and strength.
• He fights the substitute City Lord in a brutal close-quarters battle before locating and killing the real one.
• Goethe and Augustine analyze the assassination together, successfully linking it to William and Dawn City.
• Goethe assigns Augustine border assassinations while taking responsibility for domestic targets, establishing their coordinated strategy.
• Their private affectionate exchange reveals a personal bond and adds an intimate dimension to their partnership.

Chapter Summary: Battle of the Duchies, Battle of Conspiracy (2)

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Gods Forum becomes highly active after Players witness Legendary NPCs directly influencing the conflict between the Steel and Blackrock Duchies.
• William, disguised as a black-robed Assassin, attacks Rhine City in the Steel Duchy. He kills his way from the city gates to the City Lord’s Manor and escapes without being stopped by the city’s limited defenses.
• Players debate the attack online, with Steel Players defending their duchy and Dawn Players mocking them. The appearance of Legendary figures such as Goethe Nassis and Augustine temporarily reassures the Steel Players.
• William travels openly to Blackrock Royal City, a heavily fortified city built from magically conductive Black Rock stone. He reflects on its importance and remembers that, in his previous life, he had been among those defeated there.
• At the Royal Palace, William reveals his identity as the Dawn City Lord but formally presents himself as leader of the Dawn Mercenary Group. He is escorted inside by Raekton, the powerful Legendary Commander of the Royal Guards.
• William meets Nadrick Black Rock, the First Prince and future king of the Blackrock Duchy, who is planning how to defeat the Steel Duchy.
• Nadrick explains that Black Rock must overcome three fortresses, the Rhine River, and Rhine City. William warns that Black Rock’s internal noble conflicts and succession struggle are weakening its ability to wage war.
• William argues that Black Rock must begin the war immediately, before the Steel Duchy’s Players and Professionals grow strong enough to overthrow the noble system.
• He offers to persuade Marquis Chris to abandon the Second Prince and support Nadrick, thereby strengthening Nadrick’s position in the succession struggle.
• William also promises to mobilize at least 50,000 Chosen Ones and 3,000 Dawn Mercenaries. When he adds that he may be able to kill Augustine, Nadrick agrees to have the army cooperate with him.
• The two reach a deal: William and the Dawn Mercenary Group will participate in every battle, receiving nothing if they lose but one-third of all spoils from the Steel Duchy if they win.
• Their agreement triggers a change in the Main Quest, officially beginning the Blackrock Duchy’s Battle for Power and its war against the Steel Duchy.

Character Developments

• William demonstrates increasing boldness, strategic influence, and political skill. He attacks a major Steel city, then walks openly into Blackrock’s capital, confident that his reputation and strength will protect him.
• He is shown to be more than a powerful fighter: he understands the duchies’ political weaknesses and uses the threat of the Players’ growing power to pressure Nadrick into action.
• Nadrick Black Rock is revealed as a cautious but capable political leader. He recognizes both the external threat from Steel and the internal danger posed by his brothers and rival nobles.
• Nadrick initially distrusts the Chosen Ones and remains wary of William’s ambitions, but William’s knowledge, resources, and connection to influential nobles persuade him to cooperate.
• Raekton, the Legendary Commander of the Royal Guards, is introduced as a major Blackrock figure and begins to view William as the powerful Elven or Half-Elven prince described in rumors.
• Augustine becomes a central political and military threat. His past ambush against Nadrick and his growing strength make him a valuable target in William and Nadrick’s strategy.

Significant Themes

• War as a political tool: William believes an early war is necessary because delay will allow the Steel Duchy’s Players and Professionals to become too powerful.
• Internal conflict versus external enemies: Both duchies face divisions within their ruling classes, showing that political instability may be as dangerous as military defeat.
• The rising influence of Players and Chosen Ones: Their ability to revive, grow stronger, and challenge noble authority threatens the existing political order.
• Power through alliances and manipulation: William gains influence not by ruling Blackrock directly but by shaping its succession struggle and military decisions.
• Reputation and identity: William uses different identities—the Dawn City Lord and Dawn Mercenary leader—to control how others perceive and negotiate with him.
• Historical memory and changed fate: William remembers Blackrock Royal City from his previous life, but his current actions are already altering the events that once led to defeat.

Important Character Interactions

• William and the Players: Players recognize William’s appearance and speculate about his identity, but his Legendary aura keeps them from directly bothering him.
• William and Raekton: Raekton escorts William through the palace and quietly evaluates his background, strength, and political significance.
• William and Nadrick: Their meeting shifts from military discussion to political negotiation. William offers intelligence, noble support, and troops; Nadrick offers military cooperation and accepts William’s demand for a share of the spoils.
• William and Augustine: Though Augustine does not appear directly, William uses the promise of killing him to convince Nadrick that the Dawn forces can contribute meaningfully to the war.
• Nadrick and his brothers/nobles: Their rivalry prevents him from immediately committing to war, but William’s intervention may help him consolidate power and become king.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• William’s planned trip to Rhine City to assassinate a major figure is intended to demonstrate his strength and resolve against the Steel Duchy. The assassination would also serve as a pledge of allegiance and establish the basis for cooperation with Nadrick of the Blackrock Duchy.
• The Blackrock–Steel conflict is being deliberately prolonged. Steel wants time to consolidate its internal power, eliminate troublesome nobles, and recruit the Chosen Ones, while Nadrick is urged to attack before Steel becomes stronger.
• Nadrick studies the military situation and questions whether William’s promised share of the spoils—one-third of the conquest—is justified. He doubts that the disorganized Chosen Ones could defeat a legion and suspects Marquis Chris may not truly obey William.
• Nadrick privately reveals his contempt for William as a half-elf and considers keeping the conquered territory for himself rather than honoring their agreement.
• William visits Earl Kuri and tests his ambitions. Kuri admits that he wants to rise beyond his current rank and pledges absolute loyalty to William.
• William promises that Kuri can become the most powerful person beneath a king, but warns him that even as a future ruler, he will remain William’s subordinate. William orders Kuri to arrange a private meeting with Marquis Chris in the royal city.
• After Kuri leaves, William reflects on his larger ambitions. He believes that controlling authority and political power is essential because, unlike the Chosen Ones, he has only one life. However, he also recognizes that his current personal strength is insufficient for the scale of power he seeks.

Character Developments

• William: Becomes increasingly calculating and ambitious. He uses political manipulation, military alliances, and subordinate nobles rather than relying solely on personal strength. His ambition appears to extend far beyond gaining influence in Dawn City or profiting from a war.
• Nadrick: Shows strategic awareness but also arrogance and distrust. He understands the urgency of acting against Steel, yet he is already considering betraying William and keeping the spoils for himself.
• Kuri: Evolves from a subordinate earl into an ambitious political agent. His hunger for power leads him to accept complete submission to William, whom he views as the key to rising in rank.
• Raekton: Acts as Nadrick’s loyal adviser, praising him and reinforcing his confidence in his own judgment.
• Marquis Chris: Does not appear directly, but his allegiance is presented as politically important and uncertain.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and power: The chapter repeatedly emphasizes that ambition grows with one’s position. Kuri’s desire to rise and William’s vast plans both demonstrate the intoxicating nature of authority.
• Political manipulation and betrayal: Alliances are based on mutual advantage rather than trust. William intends to use nobles and rival duchies, while Nadrick already contemplates breaking his agreement.
• Strength versus authority: William recognizes that political power alone is not enough; genuine strength is necessary to protect one’s position and control one’s destiny.
• Loyalty and subordination: Kuri’s devotion is portrayed as total, but William makes clear that loyalty means accepting permanent submission to the person who grants power.
• War as opportunity: The impending conflict between Blackrock and Steel may be part of William’s broader strategy to profit from the war and expand his influence.

Character Interactions

• Nadrick and Raekton: They discuss William’s military value, the weakness of the Chosen Ones, and whether Marquis Chris will obey William. Their conversation exposes Nadrick’s skepticism and his intention to potentially deny William his promised reward.
• William and Kuri: William provokes Kuri’s ambition, then offers him advancement in exchange for absolute loyalty. Their exchange establishes Kuri as William’s subordinate and political intermediary.
• Kuri and Marquis Chris: Though they do not meet in the chapter, Kuri is tasked with arranging Chris’s secret meeting with William, making him an important link in William’s political maneuvering.

Chapter 135 Summary: “S-Class Mission (4)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After negotiating with King Nadrick, William triggers the S-Plus-Class “War of Power” mission. He has agreed to wage war with Nadrick against the Steel Duchy and claim 33.3% of the spoils.
• The mission’s first objective is to expand the Dawn Mercenary Group to 50,000 members; it currently has 23,456. The system mockingly estimates William’s chance of success at below one percent because it evaluates him as a weak Chosen One rather than as a powerful Legendary Boss and faction leader.
• While walking through King City, William observes Players trading weapons, materials, and equipment. Their behavior reveals the growing importance of the Player economy, including opportunistic scams and intense competition.
• William gathers Players in the commercial district and notices that most are melee fighters, while spellcasters are being dismissed as weak. The chapter humorously describes the different ways Players cope with unfavorable class balance: enduring it, spending money on powerful equipment, or combining spellcasting with melee combat.
• A female Elf Player named Adorable Little Fairy approaches William and reminds him that he personally recruited her. William gives her a recruitment mission:
  • Recruit Professionals into the Dawn Mercenary Group.
  • Earn five Contribution Points per recruit.
  • The top recruiter receives a Gold Weapon of the same tier.
  • The mission lasts fifteen days.
• Once the mission becomes known, Players begin spreading the news throughout the Blackrock Duchy. William directs Lotner and the others to publicize it through the mercenary headquarters so the Guild can rapidly expand.
• At the chapter’s end, William learns that Marquis Chris has arrived. Since William has reserved his final Soul Control slot for Chris, he decides to control him directly rather than wait.

Character Development

• William shows his strategic and manipulative nature. Rather than recruiting tens of thousands personally, he creates an incentive-based mission that motivates Players to expand his organization for him. He also treats the system’s insulting evaluation with indifference, confident in his own hidden strength.
• Adorable Little Fairy proves eager, ambitious, and willing to use her charm and social influence to complete the recruitment mission. Her enthusiasm suggests she may become an effective recruiter.
• The Players are portrayed as opportunistic and highly pragmatic. They seek missions, profits, equipment, and advantages while adapting to the current game version and class balance.
• Marquis Chris is established as William’s next major target for Soul Control, signaling an imminent move against him.

Significant Themes

• Power and deception: William appears weak to the system and Players, yet secretly manipulates major political and military events.
• The exploitation of systems and incentives: William turns the mission system and Player mentality into tools for building his faction.
• War as an opportunity: The coming conflict with the Steel Duchy is not merely a threat; it offers William territory, wealth, influence, and a chance to strengthen the Dawn Mercenary Group.
• Player society and inequality: Equipment quality, class balance, wealth, and social influence determine success, while weaker or poorer Players struggle to keep up.
• Manipulation versus loyalty: Players join and serve the mercenary group largely for rewards, while William uses their ambitions to advance his own plans.

Character Interactions

• William interacts with the marketplace Players while deliberately concealing his amusement at their trading practices.
• He speaks with Adorable Little Fairy, pretending to remember her while assigning her a mission designed to exploit her popularity and charm.
• Other Players crowd around after seeing her receive a mission, but William prioritizes Dawn Mercenary Group members, frustrating outsiders.
• William contacts Lotner and the other officers through a Sound Transmission Scroll to coordinate the recruitment campaign.
• He receives news of Marquis Chris’s arrival and prepares to use Soul Control on him, setting up the next major confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “Reveal the Health Bars (5)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• William spends the night forcibly subjugating Marquis Chris through repeated soul-control magic. He pulls Chris’s soul out and restores it over and over until Chris’s will collapses and a soul brand can be implanted.
• Kuri witnesses the torture and is left terrified of William. William orders him to cooperate with Marquis Chris, who has now been completely brought under William’s control.
• Marquis Chris originally came to the capital to support the second prince, but after being defeated by William, he defects overnight and goes to discuss secret matters with the prince.
• William reflects on his soul-control method. It is faster than gradually manipulating someone psychologically, but it risks killing or mentally destroying targets with strong souls and willpower.
• After briefly sleeping beneath a tree to recover his mental energy, William travels to Blackrock Frontier City.
• The city is on high alert after repeated assassinations by agents from the Steel Duchy. Players speculate that a larger attack is imminent.
• William’s arrival excites the players, who view him as a powerful and reliable leader. Since Dawn City cannot openly intervene in the duchies’ war, William participates through the Dawn Mercenary Group, allowing players to join the conflict under his banner.
• A powerful city guard violently clears a path through the crowd, killing an insolent player with a single punch.
• The man is revealed to be Tyrannosaur, the city’s legion commander and an Epic-level earl. William uses his Insight ability to examine him and notes his exceptional defensive talent, Steel Skin.
• Tyrannosaur and William formally greet each other. When they shake hands, Tyrannosaur’s health bar becomes visible, setting up the chapter’s central reveal.

Character Developments

• William: Becomes increasingly ruthless and pragmatic. He successfully controls Marquis Chris but recognizes the dangers of relying on extreme soul torture. He also resumes his role as a military and political force in the Blackrock conflict.
• Marquis Chris: His resistance is completely broken, and he becomes William’s controlled subordinate. He abandons his original mission of supporting the second prince and instead works according to William’s orders.
• Kuri: His fear of William intensifies after witnessing the soul torture. He is now utterly obedient and no longer dares to oppose William.
• Tyrannosaur: Introduced as an intimidating, physically powerful commander with an exceptionally high health pool and defensive abilities. His bold personality is demonstrated when he kills a player who refuses to move.
• Players: Increasingly regard William as a trustworthy faction leader and rally around him, believing he offers the best chance to participate effectively in the war.

Significant Themes

• Power through terror and control: William’s authority is maintained not only through strength but through psychological destruction and magical domination.
• The risks of coercion: Soul control is effective but dangerous; a target may die or lose their mind before submission is achieved.
• War and political manipulation: William influences the conflict indirectly, using mercenary forces and controlled nobles rather than openly violating Dawn City’s neutrality.
• Player loyalty and faction-building: The players’ support demonstrates how reputation and perceived reliability can turn a powerful NPC into the center of a military movement.
• Hidden strength and vulnerability: The emerging health bar emphasizes the importance of quantifying powerful characters and hints that even intimidating figures such as Tyrannosaur can be evaluated—and potentially challenged.

Character Interactions

• William commands Kuri to cooperate with the newly controlled Marquis Chris, reinforcing their master-servant relationship.
• William reflects on Marquis Chris’s resistance and the mechanics of soul control, showing his analytical approach to domination.
• Players gather around William and treat him as their unofficial commander.
• Tyrannosaur confronts the players aggressively, killing one who challenges him, but then respectfully welcomes William.
• William and Tyrannosaur exchange a formal handshake; the contact causes Tyrannosaur’s health bar to appear, ending the chapter on a reveal.

Chapter 137 Summary: “Black-Hearted Merchant”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tyrannosaur reports that the Steel Duchy’s elite Decapitation Squad has carried out thirteen successful assassinations, killing dozens of Blackrock officers and hundreds of soldiers.
• The victims are mostly mid-ranking commanders, indicating that Steel’s goal is to weaken Blackrock’s military leadership and destroy morale before launching a major attack.
• Blackrock’s attempts to ambush the squad have failed because the assassins are highly mobile, cautious, and extremely powerful.
• William recognizes the Decapitation Squad as a “BOSS Squad,” comparable to an elite team assembled to defeat a dragon. Their commander, the Legendary Augustine, is far too strong for Blackrock to confront directly under its current conditions.
• William reveals three possible hiding places for the squad:
  1. The Ruined Demon Cavern
  2. An area east of the Rhine River Crossing
  3. A secret underground passage beneath the Heavy City
• The underground passage appears to have been built long ago as a contingency route, suggesting that Steel has been preparing its invasion and possible annexation of Blackrock for years.
• Because spies would detect any large-scale Blackrock mobilization, Tyrannosaur concludes that the only practical way to destroy the Decapitation Squad is to use William as bait.
• William agrees in principle but refuses to help without compensation. Tyrannosaur first offers to reopen the slave trade, assuming this will appeal to William, but William rejects the offer.
• After negotiations, Blackrock agrees to pay the Dawn Mercenary Group its wartime rate: ten silver coins per person per day, excluding experience rewards.
• William happily accepts the arrangement, privately planning to profit by taking a cut from the payment.

Character Developments

• William demonstrates his usual combination of strategic intelligence, confidence, and shameless greed. He understands the military situation but is more concerned with ensuring that his mercenary group receives a lucrative contract.
• He also shows that he is willing to exploit Blackrock’s desperation, forcing Tyrannosaur to negotiate rather than simply obeying the king’s request.
• Tyrannosaur is shown to be a capable commander despite his intimidating appearance. He understands the Decapitation Squad’s tactics and correctly recognizes that William is the key to creating an effective trap.
• However, Tyrannosaur becomes increasingly frustrated by William’s bargaining and arrogant behavior.
• Augustine remains off-screen but is established as an exceptionally dangerous Legendary commander leading a squad of elite assassins.

Significant Themes

• Military strategy versus brute force: Blackrock cannot defeat the Steel Duchy’s elite squad through numbers alone; stealth, deception, and carefully chosen bait are necessary.
• Long-term preparation and political ambition: Steel’s hidden tunnel and years of planning reveal that the war is part of a much larger scheme to conquer Blackrock within the one-year limit imposed by the Three Major Empires.
• The cost of war: The chapter emphasizes the value of soldiers, officers, supplies, and professional fighters. Even an emergency military operation becomes a commercial transaction.
• Greed and opportunism: William treats the crisis as a business opportunity, negotiating payment before risking himself and his people.
• Limits on warfare: The empires’ one-year restriction on conquest wars reflects concern over the exhaustion of humanity’s population, resources, and military professionals.

Character Interactions

• Tyrannosaur briefs William on the assassinations and asks for his military advice.
• William studies the map, identifies the Decapitation Squad’s likely shelters, and warns Tyrannosaur not to act prematurely.
• Tyrannosaur proposes using William as bait, while William insists that this is a separate contract from his prior agreement with the king.
• Their exchange is tense and humorous: Tyrannosaur wants a quick military solution, while William turns the situation into a hard-fought business negotiation.
• Tyrannosaur offers the reopening of the slave trade, but William instead demands payment for the Dawn Mercenary Group’s services.
• The chapter ends with William preparing to act as bait after securing a profitable wartime contract.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• William, a mature Legendary Boss, disguises himself in Black Rock patrol armor and poses as a patrol commander rather than openly revealing his identity.
• Thousands of Players gather at the city gate after hearing that the Dawn Corps commander has arrived. William recognizes several notable Professional Players from his past life and decides to use Players as expendable bait against the Steel Duchy’s Decapitation Squad.
• He selects thirty level-14 Players, including five Professional Players, for a hidden quest titled “Bait.” Their mission is to lure out the Execution Squad by pretending to be patrol soldiers.
• The quest openly describes its objective as “just go die,” but offers potentially unlimited experience and silver rewards. Since Players can revive repeatedly, they eagerly accept the danger.
• William leads the Players to the Quartermaster Warehouse, where they equip patrol armor. He then uses an Illusion Scroll to disguise himself as a middle-aged Mage, making it difficult even for Players’ detection abilities to identify him.
• The Players join a legitimate thirty-man patrol, creating a sixty-one-person inspection team. William instructs the Players to behave convincingly and avoid exposing their identities.
• Meanwhile, the Decapitation Squad hides in the Ruined Demon Cavern. They receive intelligence about the patrol team and prepare an ambush.
• Augustine, the squad’s leader, identifies the disguised Mage as the primary target. Although some squad members are confident they can defeat the patrol easily, Augustine insists on caution because the Dawn City Lord is also nearby and because he does not want to repeat his earlier failure during the Dragon-Slaying mission.

Character Developments

• William: Demonstrates his strategic ruthlessness and willingness to exploit the Players’ immortality. He views them as renewable combat resources and deliberately recruits strong Professional Players because he expects them to die anyway. At the same time, he shows careful planning by using disguises, selecting the right bait, and concealing his identity.
• The Players: Reveal their greed, enthusiasm, and casual attitude toward death. They interpret the quest’s unlimited rewards as an opportunity to repeatedly die for profit. Their excitement also emphasizes how differently Players perceive danger compared with ordinary NPCs.
• Eternal Solitude: Becomes particularly attentive to William because of their shared Ranger-related abilities and similarities in archery and swordsmanship. He also recognizes the sophistication of William’s illusion.
• Lonely All My Life and the Professional Players: Show curiosity and confidence, assuming they were selected because of their ability or luck. Their willingness to accept the suicide mission highlights their faith in the reward system and resurrection mechanics.
• Augustine: Emerges as a cautious and disciplined leader. Though his subordinates are overconfident, his previous defeat has made him more wary and determined not to suffer another failure.

Significant Themes

• Expendability and resurrection: Players’ ability to revive transforms death from a permanent consequence into a tactical resource. William exploits this difference to create a force ordinary armies cannot provide.
• The contrast between Players and NPCs: Players are motivated by quests, rewards, and experimentation, while William and the Decapitation Squad approach the situation as a genuine life-or-death military operation.
• Deception and identity: Both sides rely on disguises, hidden information, and mistaken assumptions. William conceals his true form, while the Players pretend to be real patrol soldiers.
• Greed as motivation: The Players accept an obvious suicide mission because the potential rewards are enormous, showing how game incentives can override common sense.
• Caution versus arrogance: Augustine’s restraint contrasts with the confidence of his subordinates, setting up a conflict between careful strategy and reckless assumptions.

Character Interactions

• William engages with the gathered Players, refusing their demands for free Hidden Classes or equipment and bluntly stating that he offers “no money, no equipment, no class.”
• He formally recruits the Players as mercenaries, then commands them as a military leader while explaining how they must behave during the infiltration.
• The Players joke among themselves about why they were selected, with some believing it was due to luck, strength, or even appearance.
• Eternal Solitude studies William’s illusion and recognizes that it is far more advanced than an ordinary disguise.
• Within the Decapitation Squad, Augustine clashes indirectly with his subordinates’ confidence. They believe the patrol is an easy target, while Augustine emphasizes the need to prioritize the Mage and remain alert to William’s possible presence.

Chapter Summary: “Strong Slaughter”

Key Plot Points and Events

• William’s patrol advances slowly along a forest-lined road, with Lonely All My Life accompanying him as a personal guard and secretly recording the expected ambush.
• The players anticipate the confrontation, fascinated by William’s mysterious background, his connection to the Black Leaf Elven Royal Family, his status as a dragon slayer, and his control over Dawn City’s forces.
• The political situation among the players is briefly highlighted: roughly ten thousand former Blackrock players have joined the Steel Duchy, while forty thousand remain in Blackrock. Lonely All My Life believes that strength and choosing the correct faction will matter more than simply having a large population.
• The patrol is suddenly attacked by a twenty-person decapitation squad emerging from the woods. The ambushers immediately unleash powerful attacks, killing more than half of the NPC patrol and several players before the defenders can react.
• William reveals his true identity by dispelling his illusion and begins slaughtering the attackers:
  • He kills a grandmaster expert with a devastating sword strike to the forehead.
  • He uses a powerful ghost arrow to locate and kill an epic assassin hiding among the trees.
  • He then clashes with three level-50 epic experts and overwhelms them with Thunderflash Repeated Slash.
• The battle demonstrates that William has reached level 60, placing him far beyond the power level expected of a version 1.0 lord and bringing him close to the legendary tier.
• Players repeatedly resurrect and return to battle, but many lose levels and equipment. Despite their losses, they are awed by William’s overwhelming strength.

Character Developments

• William reveals that he is far stronger than his enemies expected. He fights decisively, rapidly identifying and eliminating elite opponents without hesitation. His ability to track the hidden assassin and withstand multiple epic experts confirms his growth into a near-legendary combatant.
• Lonely All My Life remains willing to serve as bait and die repeatedly if it allows him to study William’s combat ability. After witnessing William kill powerful enemies almost effortlessly, he becomes even more convinced that Dawn City is the correct faction and resolves to support William completely.
• Augustine, the leader or strongest member of the decapitation squad, displays arrogance and impatience. He easily kicks Lonely All My Life away but becomes increasingly frustrated as William destroys the squad’s strongest fighters.
• The player characters demonstrate their unusual immortality by repeatedly resurrecting, but their deaths now have real costs: level loss and damaged or depleted equipment.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming strength and hierarchy: The chapter emphasizes the enormous difference between ordinary experts, epic-level combatants, and William’s newly attained level-60 power.
• Faction choice and strategic loyalty: Players must decide whether to follow ideological movements such as “freedom” or align themselves with the faction offering the greatest long-term strength and opportunities.
• Information and observation: Lonely All My Life treats the battle as valuable data, hoping to improve through recordings and understand whether William could be defeated in the future.
• Rapid, ruthless warfare: Combat is portrayed as sudden and decisive. Elite fighters can die within moments, and battles are determined by explosive techniques rather than prolonged duels.
• The value and cost of immortality: Players can resurrect and continue fighting, but repeated deaths still carry consequences through lost levels and equipment.

Character Interactions

• Lonely All My Life follows William closely as his guard and later sacrifices himself to delay Augustine, even clinging to Augustine’s leg after resurrecting.
• Augustine dismisses the players as annoying and weak, kicking Lonely All My Life away while ordering the others to focus on William.
• William mocks the attackers for learning to “camp corpses,” recognizing that the players have improved by exploiting their ability to resurrect.
• William and the elite enemies engage in direct combat, with his sword aura overpowering three epic experts and shocking them with the revelation that he has already reached level 60.
• The players’ reactions to William’s performance—especially Lonely All My Life’s renewed loyalty—reinforce the chapter’s portrayal of him as the dominant figure on the battlefield.