Chapter Summaries

Chapter 693 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Melinda and her husband, Robert, move into a discounted house in Black Pine Town, believing it is an extraordinary financial opportunity. Melinda finds a supermarket job, and their life initially seems to stabilize.
• Strange phenomena soon begin: noises in the walls and vents, flickering lights, objects falling on their own, an invisible force pushing a glass from the table, and a growing rotten smell.
• Melinda becomes increasingly frightened and asks Robert to leave, but he dismisses her experiences as stress or hallucinations. He refuses to move because of their financial difficulties and his failing business venture.
• One night, Melinda sees what appears to be her six-year-old son Robbie near the stairs. The figure asks whether she loves him, then deliberately falls backward toward the staircase. Melinda catches him just in time. Robbie then appears confused and has no memory of leaving bed, suggesting supernatural manipulation.
• Determined to protect her child, Melinda decides to leave the house temporarily and stay in a hotel.
• At work, Melinda confides in her compassionate coworker Kate. Kate comforts her and recommends the Winchester family, whom she describes as professionals who previously solved a similar supernatural case.
• Meanwhile, Geralt checks the Demon Hunter guild website and sees confirmation that an inspection mission has been completed and paid for. The chapter also introduces the guild’s five special roles: Operator Miss Elizabeth, Messenger Mr. Raven, Investigator Young Hound, Cleaner Lord Vulture, and Inspector Madam Owl.
• Geralt watches a supernatural-themed television show with Cerberus, who eagerly anticipates the appearance of Asmodeus, implying an unexplained history between the two demons.
• Melinda visits the Winchester residence and meets Geralt, Rebecca, and Cerberus. Geralt listens carefully to her account and confirms that she is not insane.
• Geralt explains that the entity haunting the house is likely a “Weird Monster” or “Malevolent Entity.” It appears too weak to attack directly, so it is attempting to erode Melinda’s will, drive her into despair, and exploit her psychological collapse. Geralt cannot yet identify its exact type without further investigation.

Character Developments

• Melinda changes from hopeful and practical to terrified and desperate, but her maternal instinct gives her courage. Despite doubting her sanity, she remains determined to protect Robbie.
• Robert is portrayed as dismissive and absorbed in his business ambitions. His skepticism and lack of emotional support deepen Melinda’s isolation.
• Robbie becomes the apparent target or tool of the supernatural force, though he himself seems innocent and unaware of what happened.
• Kate demonstrates empathy and loyalty, offering Melinda emotional support and a practical lead rather than judging her.
• Geralt acts professionally and compassionately. He carefully questions Melinda, reassures her that she is sane, and provides a rational supernatural explanation without claiming certainty.
• Rebecca continues enthusiastically embracing her role as a maid, while Cerberus reveals a comical enthusiasm for fictional demon-slaying and a possible rivalry with Asmodeus.

Significant Themes

• Maternal courage: Melinda’s fear is overcome when Robbie is endangered, emphasizing that love can produce extraordinary bravery.
• Isolation and disbelief: Melinda’s suffering worsens because Robert refuses to believe her, showing how dismissal can be as damaging as the haunting itself.
• Psychological warfare: The entity relies on fear, exhaustion, and despair rather than direct violence, suggesting that mental resilience is central to survival.
• Faith versus materialism and rationalism: Melinda turns to prayer while Robert insists on psychological explanations, yet Geralt offers a third perspective that recognizes supernatural forces without abandoning careful judgment.
• Appearances and hidden danger: The cheap house seems like a blessing but conceals a threat, reinforcing the danger of judging situations only by their outward advantages.
• Professional supernatural intervention: The Winchester family and Demon Hunter guild operate as organized responders to paranormal problems, framing demon hunting as a structured profession.

Character Interactions

• Melinda repeatedly clashes with Robert over whether the haunting is real, exposing the emotional distance in their marriage.
• Melinda and Robbie share a tender but frightening interaction in which the entity uses Robbie’s appearance to manipulate her.
• Kate provides the compassion and belief that Melinda lacks at home, becoming the person who directs her to the Winchesters.
• Geralt and Melinda establish a cautious professional relationship. His calm questioning and reassurance restore some of Melinda’s hope.
• Rebecca’s respectful service toward Geralt contrasts humorously with Melinda’s uncertainty about who actually holds authority in the Winchester household.
• Geralt and Cerberus share lighthearted banter, especially regarding the television show and Cerberus’s apparent grudge against Asmodeus.

Chapter 694 Summary: “A Man in Marvel, Working for the System”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Melinda seeks Geralt’s help because her son and family are being threatened by a suspected supernatural presence. The police dismiss her, while Geralt explains that the Church’s official exorcism process is slow and potentially dangerous.
• Geralt charges 5,000 Beli for the job. Melinda cannot afford it, so she offers her wedding ring as partial payment, promising to redeem it later.
• Geralt gives her Fire Tree Seeds and special salt, instructing her to scatter them around the doors and windows after spending the night in a hotel. If the salt turns gray or black, it would indicate that the entity followed them. The salt remains unchanged, suggesting the presence is confined to the house.
• Geralt learns that the house was purchased through Roman Realty, linking it to his acquaintance Luke Roman. Luke reveals that the property was known to contain a low-threat Floating Spirit, which the previous owner abandoned.
• Before visiting the house, Geralt investigates the Benjamin family through Joseph, a hacker. The investigation reveals that Robert claimed to have started a business after being laid off, but he secretly receives regular payments from an unidentified shell company.
• Geralt arrives at the house with Melinda and her skeptical husband, Robert. He discovers disturbing signs of supernatural activity, including dead birds, an infestation of huge centipedes, and a chilling presence in the child’s bedroom.
• Geralt uses a fake “Ghost-Finding Needle” to persuade Robert that something is wrong. The device reacts strongly near the attic, where Geralt believes the entity is hiding.
• As Geralt prepares to enter the attic, Robert suddenly attacks him from behind with a vicious dagger. Geralt catches his wrist, kicks him away, and draws his Demon-Breaking Crossbow.

Character Developments

• Geralt remains pragmatic and professional. He insists that dangerous work deserves proper payment, rejecting the idea that morality requires him to sacrifice himself for strangers. However, he still helps Melinda by accepting her ring and providing protective materials.
• Geralt also demonstrates caution and intelligence by investigating the family and property before entering the house. His suspicion of Robert proves justified.
• Melinda becomes increasingly convinced that Geralt is genuine after sleeping peacefully under his advice. She remains frightened but becomes more proactive in protecting herself and Robbie.
• Robert is introduced as hostile, dismissive, and contemptuous of supernatural explanations. His skepticism gradually gives way to unease when he sees the signs in the yard and the Ghost-Finding Needle’s reaction, but he ultimately reveals himself as an attacker rather than a concerned husband.
• Robbie, Melinda’s young son, remains innocent and dependent on his mother. His presence emphasizes the family’s vulnerability.
• Luke Roman provides crucial background about the house’s previous supernatural history.
• Joseph, Geralt’s hacker contact, assists with the investigation and uncovers suspicious details about Robert’s finances.

Significant Themes

• Professionalism versus self-sacrifice: Geralt argues that dangerous work should be compensated and that reckless heroism often leads to death, especially in the Demon Hunter profession.
• Fear of the unknown: Robert’s disbelief contrasts with the undeniable supernatural evidence around him. The chapter suggests that refusing to acknowledge danger does not make it disappear.
• Appearances and deception: The house’s apparent haunting may conceal a more human threat. Robert presents himself as a skeptical husband but secretly receives unexplained money and attacks Geralt.
• Institutional limitations: The Church exists to combat supernatural threats but is portrayed as bureaucratic, slow, and potentially ruthless, while ordinary authorities are powerless.
• Protection and family: Melinda’s willingness to sacrifice her wedding ring and seek help reflects her determination to protect Robbie.
• Hidden corruption: The mysterious payments to Robert hint at a larger conspiracy or connection between supernatural incidents, property dealings, and the wider system.

Important Character Interactions

• Geralt explains the limits of the police and Church to Melinda, establishing his practical worldview.
• Melinda bargains with Geralt by offering her wedding ring, showing both her desperation and trust in him.
• Geralt and Luke discuss the history of the Birch Street property and its former Floating Spirit.
• Geralt and Robert clash over whether supernatural phenomena exist. Geralt remains polite and controlled while Robert becomes increasingly aggressive.
• Melinda defends Geralt against her husband and protects Robbie upstairs.
• Geralt confronts Robert’s attempted stabbing, revealing that Robert—not merely the supposed ghost—is an immediate danger.

Chapter 695 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Geralt confronts Robert, who transforms into a grotesque, spider-like parasitic monster with multiple arms and legs, a second face on his chest, and a swollen abdomen containing another life-form.
• Melinda witnesses Robert’s transformation and finally realizes that the strange events surrounding her family were not imagined. Geralt protects her and her son, Robbie, by closing them inside the bedroom.
• Using the Goat-Horn Hammer, Demon-Breaking Arrows, positive-energy powder, and the Black Goat’s Rage Burst, Geralt destroys Robert’s body and kills the parasitic fetus inside him.
• Geralt gains Demon Hunter experience, collects a supernatural bookmark, and absorbs Robert’s corpse with the magical vacuum cleaner, Fly King. His attributes increase, particularly Spirit.
• Robert’s memory reveals that he was abused as a child by Father Bor, a corrupt religious figure. His parents ignored or denied what happened, leaving Robert traumatized and isolated.
• After encountering Father Bor again as an adult, Robert’s buried trauma resurfaced. He became suicidal but was recruited by a mysterious man in black, who offered him revenge through an experiment called Parasitic Fetus.
• Robert used his own body as a vessel, absorbing Floating Spirits and feeding them with the fear and despair of his family. The supernatural incidents in the house were therefore deliberately created by Robert.
• Geralt discovers a ritual circle in the attic, a second black business card marked with a white skull, and evidence of a larger organization attempting to bring Demons into the human world through human vessels.
• He informs Melinda that Robert cannot be saved and that the authorities will arrange a cover story for his disappearance.
• Later, Caitlyn Kiramman visits Geralt to investigate the incident. Their tense interrogation is mixed with humorous references to Geralt’s childhood pranks against her.
• Geralt gives Caitlyn the black business card and most of the information he uncovered, including the organization’s plan to bypass the World Rules by using humans to carry Demonic beings.

Character Developments

• Geralt: Remains calm, ruthless, and resourceful while fighting Robert. His anger toward the abuse revealed in Robert’s memories reaches its maximum, showing his strong moral response to injustice. He also continues gathering evidence and supernatural artifacts for future investigations.
• Robert Benjamin: His monstrous form is revealed to be the result of severe childhood trauma, manipulation, and participation in the Parasitic Fetus experiment. He is both a dangerous monster and a tragic victim whose desire for revenge destroyed his family.
• Melinda: Moves from denial and confusion to terror and reluctant acceptance of the truth about her husband. She is left grieving but protected alongside Robbie.
• Caitlyn Kiramman: Shows her distrust of Geralt and the Demon Hunters, but she takes the new threat seriously. Her investigation suggests that the authorities are increasingly concerned about the organization behind the black cards.
• Father Bor: Though not physically present, he emerges as a major antagonist whose abuse and charismatic influence caused lasting damage to Robert and possibly many others.

Significant Themes

• Trauma and denial: Robert’s suffering was worsened because his parents refused to acknowledge his abuse. Buried pain eventually resurfaced in destructive form.
• Victimhood versus responsibility: Robert was manipulated and victimized, but he still chose to endanger his family and participate in a monstrous experiment.
• Institutional corruption: Father Bor’s religious authority protected him from consequences, while his followers defended him instead of his victims.
• Human vessels and supernatural infiltration: The chapter introduces a larger threat involving Demons bypassing the World Rules by entering the world through humans.
• Justice and revenge: Robert seeks revenge against Father Bor but is exploited by darker forces, illustrating how vengeance can become another form of self-destruction.
• Humor amid horror: Geralt’s sarcastic remarks, the absurdity of the magical vacuum cleaner, and his banter with Caitlyn provide comic relief against the chapter’s disturbing subject matter.

Character Interactions

• Geralt confronts Robert directly and taunts him while methodically exploiting his weaknesses.
• Melinda reacts with horror to Robert’s transformation, while Geralt forces her to acknowledge what she had refused to see.
• Geralt communicates with Caitlyn after the incident, prompting her to withdraw the police and manage the official response.
• Geralt and Caitlyn’s later confrontation mixes professional questioning with personal history, as Caitlyn recalls his childhood pranks involving caterpillars, braids, and drawing on her face.
• Geralt shares the evidence of the Parasitic Fetus ritual and the black business card with Caitlyn, strengthening cooperation between the Demon Hunter and the No. 9 Precinct despite their mutual distrust.

Chapter 696 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Geralt and Caitlin discuss the recent Parasitic Fetus monster. Its mutated appearance and abilities seem connected to the sacrificed animals used in the ritual. The creature was only D-Rank, so Geralt defeated it without difficulty.
• Caitlin checks whether Geralt was injured, revealing her concern for him despite their teasing relationship. Geralt jokes about having bullied her when she was young, while Cerberus mockingly accuses him of being a pervert.
• The next day, Geralt receives a call from Luke about a new supernatural case. Cerberus warns him not to become involved, but Geralt insists he will merely investigate. Cerberus remains skeptical and returns to watching television.
• Geralt meets Luke and Megan Donovan at a café. Megan describes terrifying incidents in her inherited house, including realistic hallucinations and flames forming a hand that tried to pull her into the fireplace.
• Geralt discovers that Megan had decided to sell the house before the hauntings began, but she had mysteriously forgotten her grandfather’s warning never to sell it. Luke explains that his mother disappeared after entering the same house years earlier, when the property appeared to be empty.
• Luke reveals that he hired Geralt for an investigation rather than expecting him to resolve the case. His larger goal is to build a connection with the powerful Winchester Family in case their elders are needed.
• At the house, Geralt uses Spirit Sight and sees numerous Earthbound Spirits surrounding the property. Thick black mist also pours from the upper floor and basement, indicating an extremely dangerous supernatural presence.
• Geralt equips himself with an extensive arsenal, including the Winchester Demon Hunter Gun, crossbow, arrows, knives, stakes, wire saws, and ultraviolet fragmentation grenades. His preparation suggests that he expects the investigation to become a full confrontation.
• In the basement, Geralt, Luke, and Megan encounter a Red-Eyed Black Hound. It attacks Geralt, but he kills it with several rifle shots. The creature dissolves into black mist, granting only ten experience points.
• Geralt summons Fly King, his magical vacuum-like tool, and orders it to consume the mist. The monster proves too weak to provide any attribute enhancement or entry in the Book of Proverbs. It does, however, leave behind a humorous bookmark granting increased affinity with dogs for twenty-four hours.

Character Developments

• Geralt: Continues to demonstrate confidence, combat skill, and a growing enthusiasm for supernatural investigations. Although he claims to be cautious, he clearly enjoys danger and adventure. His extensive preparation and calm response to the hound reinforce his professionalism and strength.
• Caitlin: Shows genuine concern for Geralt’s safety, though she hides it behind sarcasm. Her interactions with him suggest a familiar, longstanding relationship shaped by childhood teasing.
• Luke: Is revealed to be persistent and emotionally motivated by his mother’s disappearance. Though he is not a professional Demon Hunter, he continues investigating supernatural mysteries. He also displays a gentle, protective side toward Megan.
• Megan: Moves from skepticism about Geralt’s youth to trusting Luke’s judgment and accepting Geralt’s help. The house’s history causes her to recover suppressed memories and feel guilty about nearly selling it.
• Cerberus: Serves as Geralt’s cynical voice of caution, warning him about Luke’s mysterious circumstances while also indulging in his own entertainment.

Significant Themes

• Danger beneath ordinary life: A seemingly normal inherited house hides ghosts, black mist, and hostile supernatural creatures.
• Family legacy and unresolved trauma: Megan’s inherited house and Luke’s mother’s disappearance connect the present investigation to secrets from the past.
• Curiosity versus self-preservation: Geralt insists he values his life, yet his attraction to danger repeatedly draws him into increasingly threatening situations.
• Trust and connections: Luke hires Geralt partly to establish ties with the Winchester Family, showing how alliances are essential in the dangerous Demon Hunter world.
• Humor amid horror: Geralt’s jokes, Cerberus’s insults, the absurd dog-themed bookmark, and Fly King’s appearance lighten an otherwise ominous supernatural investigation.

Character Interactions

• Geralt and Caitlin exchange sarcastic remarks, with Caitlin expressing concern and Geralt responding with exaggerated confidence.
• Cerberus mocks Geralt’s behavior toward Caitlin and warns him against interfering in Luke’s case.
• Luke comforts Megan physically and verbally when she recalls her grandfather’s warning and becomes distressed.
• Geralt questions Megan methodically and exposes the connection between her desire to sell the house and the supernatural events.
• Luke explains the house’s connection to his missing mother, deepening Megan’s understanding of the danger.
• Megan worries that Geralt is too young for the mission, while Luke reassures her by praising the Winchester Family and Geralt’s ability.
• During the basement encounter, Luke holds Megan’s hand and calms her while Geralt confronts and destroys the attacking hound.

Chapter 697 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Geralt, Luke, and Megan break through the heavily secured door beneath the house using a Thermite Strip.
• Inside, they discover a sealed well surrounded by chains covered in Enochian runes and a highly complex magic array.
• Geralt identifies the array as a life-fueled Demon Seal, suggesting that someone sacrificed their life to maintain it. He copies the array for further study before resealing the room.
• Geralt concludes that the demon beneath the well manipulated Megan into wanting to sell the house, which would weaken the seal and allow the demon to escape.
• While investigating the second floor alone, Geralt encounters the ghost of Tessa Roman, Luke’s mother. Her supernatural scream shatters the windows and disorients him.
• Tessa’s ghost drags Geralt into a strange realm—the Rift Between the Mortal World and Hell—where she explains the history of the house and the seal.
• Tessa reveals that she sacrificed her life to contain a portal to Hell and later bound her soul to a demon that had crossed through. The demon, Garm, has continued growing stronger and is increasingly able to escape her control.
• Back in the house, Luke and Megan search for Geralt. They realize he may be trapped in the same supernatural phenomenon that claimed Tessa, but they cannot find or help him.
• In the Rift, Garm attacks Geralt. Holy bullets barely affect the demon, and Garm severely wounds Geralt with a poisoned claw strike.
• Geralt activates the Forbidden Spellmark, using his blood as a catalyst. His body becomes covered in cyan markings, his eyes transform, and his wounds rapidly heal, preparing him for the battle.

Character Developments

• Geralt: Demonstrates extensive magical knowledge, caution, and professional skill. Though initially reluctant to bring Luke and Megan, he accepts their determination. After being overwhelmed by Garm, he reveals a powerful transformation through the Forbidden Spellmark.
• Luke: Learns that his mother willingly sacrificed herself rather than being killed by the seal. His determination to uncover the truth is joined by guilt and helplessness when Geralt disappears.
• Megan: Begins confronting the hidden history of her family and house. She discovers that her grandfather’s bloodline helped reinforce the seal and chooses to face the danger alongside Luke.
• Tessa Roman: Is revealed to have been a powerful and self-sacrificing Demon Hunter. She gave up both her life and her chance for spiritual rest to protect her family and the mortal world.
• Garm: The imprisoned canine demon is shown to be immensely powerful, patient, and ravenous after years of being sealed away. He is identified as a major threat whose weakness may be his heart.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and duty: Tessa sacrifices herself twice—first to reinforce the portal’s seal and then to bind the escaped demon to her soul.
• Family legacy: The Roman and Donovan families are tied to the seal, while Mary Winchester’s connection to Tessa links multiple generations of Demon Hunters.
• The cost of curiosity and truth: Luke and Megan’s search for answers brings them directly into danger, while Geralt’s investigation exposes threats beyond his rank.
• Containment versus freedom: The seal protects the world but relies on suffering, sacrifice, and weakening human souls.
• Hidden evil manipulating human choices: The demon influences Megan’s thoughts, attempting to make her unknowingly destroy the seal.

Character Interactions

• Geralt warns Luke and Megan not to enter the sealed chamber, but both insist on continuing.
• Geralt and Luke examine the magic array, with Luke humorously comparing Geralt’s endlessly equipped briefcase to a magical “Doraemon bag.”
• Geralt encounters Tessa and identifies her through Luke’s commission and the Winchester Demon Hunter Gun.
• Tessa recognizes Geralt as Mary Winchester’s son and appeals to him to stop Garm.
• Luke and Megan support each other after Geralt vanishes, agreeing to search the house together.
• Geralt and Garm engage in a brutal confrontation, ending with Geralt activating his hidden power after suffering a severe injury.

Chapter 698 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Geralt confirms that the Winchester Family’s Forbidden Spellmark uses Demonic power. It contaminates the body, causes infertility, and gradually erodes both body and mind, forcing users to end battles quickly.
• He activates the Spellmark and reaches 10% release, gaining Demon Wings, Gilled Breathing, Day Camouflage, and Night Mist-Hide.
• Geralt battles the Hellhound Garm, dodging magma and claw attacks while using a Mithril Dagger and deliberately provoking it. He then detonates three ultraviolet fragmentation grenades, severely injuring Garm but failing to kill it.
• Increasing the Spellmark to 20% and then 30%, Geralt transforms further, gaining Rending Claws, Dark Etched Hooves, and demonic scales. His attributes are tripled, but 30% is his safe limit for only about one minute.
• He enlarges the Black Goat hammer and uses it to smash Garm’s brow, destroying its brain. When Garm remains alive, Geralt realizes its heart has been shifted into its abdomen. He tears it out and crushes it, finally killing the Hellhound.
• Geralt gains enough experience to advance to Demon Hunter Level 2, receives attribute and skill points, and obtains the bizarre bookmark “Me or It,” which lowers feline favorability.
• After deactivating the Spellmark, Geralt is physically exhausted. He drains Garm’s corpse with the Fly King and gains additional Strength, Agility, Spirit, and Constitution.
• Tessa reappears after the Hellhound’s death. She recognizes that Geralt defeated Garm and explains that the dimensional gap will close automatically, returning them to the human world.
• Back home, Tessa reunites emotionally with her son Luke, whom she had been separated from and feared facing. Geralt quietly leaves them alone.
• Geralt learns that Garm is not a unique Hellhound but a type repeatedly created and named by its master.
• After resting, Geralt distributes his new points mainly into Strength, using the Black Goat’s strength bonus to maximize his striking power. He spends his skill point on Spirit Sight, raising it to Level 2 and unlocking Hawkeye.

Character Developments

• Geralt demonstrates increasing tactical intelligence and courage. Rather than relying purely on strength, he uses provocation, explosives, observation, and knowledge of Garm’s weakness to win.
• His use of the Forbidden Spellmark marks a major step toward embracing the Winchester Family’s dangerous power, though he remains conscious of its risks and limits.
• Geralt becomes more confident in his combat abilities, especially after discovering the overwhelming potential of a strengthened Black Goat strike.
• Tessa is freed from her soul link with Garm and regains her independence. Her strongest emotional conflict is not regret over sealing the Demon, but guilt about facing Luke after years apart.
• Luke is revealed to have built a successful life and career despite the loss of his mother. His reunion with Tessa provides emotional closure for both characters.
• Geralt’s return to his normal life highlights his casual, humorous personality after an otherwise brutal battle.

Significant Themes

• Power and cost: Demonic strength offers enormous advantages but damages the body and mind, making every use a dangerous exchange.
• Tactical intelligence over brute force: Geralt wins by studying Garm’s abilities, exploiting its shifted heart, and combining weapons with supernatural power.
• Resilience of Demons: Garm’s ability to survive catastrophic wounds emphasizes the danger of supernatural enemies and justifies Geralt’s need for overwhelming finishing attacks.
• Family, guilt, and reconciliation: Tessa’s reunion with Luke explores the emotional consequences of sacrifice and separation.
• Growth and preparation: Geralt’s level-up and careful allocation of attributes show his transition from surviving individual battles to deliberately building a stronger combat style.
• Humor amid darkness: The unreliable bookmark, Geralt’s irreverent attacks, and his exaggerated “hammer Superman” thoughts lighten an otherwise violent and emotional chapter.

Character Interactions

• Geralt and Garm: Their battle is driven by mutual provocation. Garm’s arrogance leads it to underestimate Geralt, while Geralt taunts it to create openings for his explosives and finishing attack.
• Geralt and Tessa: Tessa is initially astonished that Geralt defeated Garm. Their conversation establishes Geralt’s competence and gives Tessa reassurance about returning to the human world.
• Tessa and Luke: Their tearful reunion resolves Luke’s long search for the truth and Tessa’s guilt over their separation.
• Geralt and Cerberus: Cerberus identifies Garm as one of many Hellhounds created by a Demon master, providing important background and implying that Garm may not be the last threat.
• Geralt and Rebecca: Rebecca continues to serve him at home, reinforcing the contrast between his dangerous missions and his ordinary domestic routine.

Chapter 699 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Geralt uses Hawkeye, expanding his influence to an extraordinary 36 kilometers, and spends his remaining attribute and skill points.
• He examines the Hellhound Garm’s memories. Garm was a weak Mixed Demon created by Nash the Corpse Demon, a Greater Demon serving Julian, a Monarch-level Demon. Despite being a B-Rank threat to human towns, Garm was actually one of Hell’s lowest life-forms.
• Garm’s memories reveal Julian’s terrifying nature. Even a brief glimpse of him becomes blurred and indescribable, suggesting that Julian is “unseeable.” Despite wielding the authority of Death, Julian is only a peripheral figure among Monarch-level Demons.
• Geralt sees various demon species in Garm’s memories before receiving a call from Luke.
• Luke and Megan meet Geralt at Claw Restaurant. Luke reveals that Mrs. Roman has died peacefully after sacrificing herself to save Paradise Town.
• Luke gives Geralt his mother’s demon-hunting collection, including occult tools and Witcher notes. Geralt keeps a Substitute Doll, capable of transferring curses or acting as a sealing vessel, and asks Luke to photograph the notes.
• Luke plans to study and improve the Demon Seal left by his mother. He and Megan intend to live together in the house, despite Geralt’s warning that deeper involvement with the supernatural is a dangerous, often irreversible path.
• Geralt spends two peaceful days without taking official demon-hunting jobs.
• He attends a party with Nancy. Beforehand, they visit Horseshoe Bay, a location associated with the unresolved death of Lucy Sable, a former beauty-pageant winner whose ghost is rumored to haunt the area.
• Geralt secretly confirms that the ghost of Lucy Sable is present, though Nancy cannot see her clearly.
• Nancy recites a local rhyme about Lucy’s death and admits she once saw things others could not. Although she now sees only occasional shadows, she worries that she may be imagining them.
• Geralt reassures her that the unseen is not necessarily unreal, validating her experiences.
• During the drive, Nancy shares her dreams of traveling and seeing the wider world. Geralt responds by reciting the romantic poem “The Furthest Distance in the World,” creating a flirtatious and emotionally charged atmosphere.

Character Development

• Geralt continues balancing his supernatural identity with ordinary human life. He recognizes that social interaction and relaxation are important for maintaining emotional stability. He also begins to appreciate Nancy for her resilience and personality, not merely her appearance.
• Luke has matured through Mrs. Roman’s death. He understands that her inability to remain with him was not abandonment and is grateful for her sacrifice. He is also becoming more deeply involved in demon hunting by studying the Demon Seal.
• Megan remains supportive of Luke and accompanies him as he begins a new phase of life.
• Nancy is portrayed as emotionally strong despite losing her mother, dealing with her father’s alcoholism, and being rejected by her preferred university. Her possible supernatural sensitivity has left her uncertain and isolated, but Geralt’s acceptance gives her reassurance.
• George Li appears abrasive and sarcastic but is revealed to be protective and dependable. Her harsh treatment contrasts with her willingness to help friends such as Nancy and her concern for Beth.
• Beth Marvin is wealthy, naïve, and easily infatuated, while George sees her as vulnerable to manipulation.
• Rebecca provides comic relief through her outdated understanding of modern social occasions.

Significant Themes

• The vastness and cruelty of the supernatural world: Garm’s memories demonstrate that even a dangerous Hellhound is insignificant compared with the greater demons of Hell.
• The danger of forbidden knowledge: Geralt warns Luke that exposure to the supernatural changes people permanently, echoing the idea that those who stare into the abyss are changed by it.
• Grief and sacrifice: Mrs. Roman’s death saves Paradise Town, and Luke’s acceptance of her sacrifice shows his emotional growth.
• Belief versus skepticism: Nancy’s experiences with ghosts have made her doubt herself. Geralt’s willingness to accept what cannot be seen validates her and challenges ordinary assumptions about reality.
• Humanity amid danger: Geralt deliberately pursues friendship, food, romance, and entertainment, emphasizing that a demon hunter remains human and needs ordinary connections.
• Appearances versus true character: George’s harsh words conceal loyalty, while Nancy’s apparent fragility hides considerable strength.

Character Interactions

• Geralt and Luke discuss Mrs. Roman’s death, the demon-hunting artifacts, and the risks of continuing down the supernatural path.
• Geralt exchanges playful banter with George and Nancy at the restaurant. Nancy’s invitation to the party develops their relationship.
• George teases Nancy and Beth, revealing her sharp tongue and protective personality.
• Geralt and Nancy flirt throughout their outing, joking about ghosts, knights, royalty, and autographs.
• Nancy confides in Geralt about her supernatural sensitivity and personal struggles. His sympathetic response deepens her trust and his interest in her.
• Their conversation becomes increasingly romantic as Nancy describes her longing for the outside world and Geralt recites a poem about unspoken love and separation.

Chapter 700 Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Geralt and Nancy spend an increasingly romantic evening together. After sharing literary and philosophical conversation, they attend a party in an abandoned barn.
• The party, previously described as ordinary, has become a large, nightclub-like gathering with security guards, swimming pools, loud music, alcohol, and apparent drug use.
• Geralt notices several attendees behaving as though they are high. He becomes suspicious and protective when Terry, a drug dealer, attempts to sell Nancy blue pills.
• Geralt stops Terry by gripping his wrist and firmly rejecting the offer. George also reacts angrily because of her troubled, alcohol-dependent mother and her hatred of addictive substances. Nancy declines the pills as well.
• Finding the party unpleasant, Geralt, Nancy, George, Beth, Ace, and Ned leave and spend the rest of the evening playing billiards.
• Geralt drives Nancy home. Before leaving, Nancy kisses him, and he reciprocates. They later speak on the phone for an hour, confirming their growing emotional intimacy.
• Geralt sends Nancy more of the romantic poem “The Furthest Distance in the World,” then continues courting her over the following days by texting her, picking her up after work, driving her home, and sharing romantic quotations from Yeats and Shelley.
• Meanwhile, the chapter introduces a separate horror storyline at Eden Lake, a campground infamous for a massacre ten years earlier. Five young people—Daniel Gates, Haley, David, Julian, and Matt—arrive in an RV to camp.
• Daniel is portrayed as wealthy, arrogant, manipulative, and predatory. He views people, especially women, as objects to be selected and consumed, though he ignores Julian’s flirtation because she does not interest him.
• Daniel and Haley swim together at night while David and Julian remain at camp. Later, while David and Julian are having sex in their tent, Julian hears strange noises outside.
• David goes out angrily to investigate, assuming Matt is playing a prank. After a thud and dragging sound, a huge figure appears at the tent. Julian screams, strongly implying that David has been attacked and that the Eden Lake killer or another monster has returned.
• Caitlin then contacts Geralt about a job. He initially refuses because he is focused on his relationship with Nancy.
• Caitlin explains that the client is Gates Group, one of Phoenix City’s largest corporations. Daniel Gates, the company’s sole heir, has disappeared at Eden Lake. No. 9 Precinct wants to rescue him in order to gain Gates Group’s support, but it lacks personnel and needs outside assistance.

Character Developments

• Geralt: Becomes increasingly possessive and protective of Nancy, intervening against both Ned’s romantic pursuit and Terry’s attempt to sell her drugs. He grows comfortable expressing affection and appears genuinely absorbed in their developing relationship, though he continues to approach romance with humor and self-awareness.
• Nancy: Moves from emotional vulnerability to active romantic involvement with Geralt. She enjoys his literary messages, initiates their first kiss, and eagerly maintains daily contact. Her personality is shown as divided between a rational, detective-like work mind and a deeply emotional, artistic private side.
• George: Demonstrates strong moral opposition to alcohol and addictive drugs, shaped by her difficult family history. She also firmly supports Geralt in removing Terry from the group.
• Beth: Remains humorous and pragmatic, claiming that her family would disinherit her if she used drugs. She also reveals that she brought Ned mainly because he wanted to see Nancy.
• Ned: Continues pursuing Nancy and views Geralt as a rival. Nancy’s obvious affection for Geralt leaves him effectively defeated.
• Terry: Is established as a drug dealer exploiting vulnerable young people. After Geralt intimidates him, he rationalizes retreating as a matter of “business harmony” and immediately returns to selling drugs.
• Ace: Is eccentric, mystical-minded, and interested in trying the pills, but ultimately follows the group’s refusal.
• Daniel Gates: Is introduced as wealthy, entitled, calculating, and emotionally detached. His description of women as food reveals his objectifying, predatory worldview.
• Julian and David: Their ordinary camping trip turns frightening when Julian detects the presence of an unknown attacker. Julian is sensitive to danger, while David initially dismisses her concerns.
• Caitlin: Acts as the link between Geralt and the new supernatural investigation, presenting the Gates Group mission as both a rescue operation and a strategic opportunity for No. 9 Precinct.

Significant Themes

• Romance and emotional intimacy: Geralt and Nancy’s relationship advances through shared conversation, poetry, small rituals, and physical affection.
• Possessiveness and rivalry: Geralt’s attitude toward Nancy is affectionate but also territorial, especially in his reactions to Ned and the drug dealer.
• Danger beneath ordinary entertainment: The barn party appears to be a normal social gathering but conceals drug distribution and potentially criminal activity.
• Vulnerability and exploitation: Terry targets emotionally vulnerable teenagers, while Geralt’s intervention protects Nancy from becoming a customer. Daniel’s treatment of women also reflects a more extreme form of exploitation.
• Reason versus emotion: Nancy’s contrasting detective-like rationality and poetic emotional nature are emphasized, as is Geralt’s movement from playful detachment toward genuine attachment.
• Human carelessness and forgotten tragedy: Eden Lake’s massacre has faded from public memory, allowing people to return to the dangerous site for excitement.
• The supernatural returning: The Eden Lake sequence suggests that an old killer or monster remains active, turning recreational camping into a new horror incident.
• Institutional weakness and alliances: No. 9 Precinct’s lack of resources forces it to seek Geralt’s help and cultivate ties with powerful civilian organizations.

Important Character Interactions

• Geralt and Nancy share literary conversation, romantic teasing, a first mutual kiss, daily messages, and lengthy phone calls.
• Geralt confronts Terry when he tries to sell Nancy drugs, while George reinforces the rejection because of her personal hatred of addiction.
• Ned and Geralt silently compete for Nancy, but Nancy’s visible affection for Geralt makes her preference clear.
• The six friends abandon the party together and bond through a quieter evening of billiards.
• At Eden Lake, Julian warns David about the strange presence outside the tent; David dismisses her until he hears it himself, after which he apparently disappears.
• Caitlin appeals to Geralt by emphasizing both Daniel Gates’s disappearance and the political and financial value of helping Gates Group, setting up the next investigation.

Chapter 701 Summary

Plot and Major Events

Geralt agrees to investigate the disappearance of Daniel Gates and several other people, but only because the case may involve supernatural forces. In exchange, he makes Caitlin erase an embarrassing prank from her notebook. Caitlin sends him extensive case materials, including crime-scene photographs, police reports, information on the missing people, details about the Gates Group, and records of the Eden Lake massacre from ten years earlier.
Before leaving, Geralt plans to notify Nancy—though he cannot reveal the supernatural nature of the case—and travel to Phoenix City to negotiate with the Gates Group. At the Gates Building, he joins a group of mercenaries, detectives, mediums, and other “specialists” recruited to rescue Daniel. The contract offers 10 million Beli for rescuing Daniel alive, plus an additional million for each other person saved, while useful clues earn one million Beli.
A mercenary named Edmund mocks Geralt’s clean appearance and doubts his wilderness abilities. Geralt remains calm and easily avoids Edmund’s attempt to startle him. Susan Carpenter, the chairman’s secretary, confirms that Geralt was personally recommended and rebukes Edmund, implying that Geralt is more trustworthy than the established professionals.
Caitlin later explains that Thorn Snake, a private military and security company, has already searched the area around Eden Lake without success. Since their expertise is not supernatural investigation, Gates Group has turned to people with unusual talents.
At Eden Lake, Geralt uses Spirit Sight to inspect the preserved crime scene. He discovers faint black vapor and enormous three-toed footprints belonging to creatures weighing roughly 150 kilograms. By mapping the tracks, he concludes that several monsters kidnapped the victims and deliberately scattered in different directions to confuse investigators. Their coordinated behavior suggests intelligence or an unseen controller. Geralt suspects the disappearances may be part of an attack on the Gates Group rather than random monster predation, making it likely that Daniel is still alive, although the other victims may be in serious danger.
Geralt follows one of the monster trails into the Flying Dragon Mountains. Meanwhile, a mercenary squad led by the sickly-looking but intimidating Leon tracks the same area. Their scent specialist, Morgan, loses the trail after overusing her ability. Leon orders the group to rest and assigns Turner—revealed to be Edmund—and Leon’s other lookout to patrol. Soon, the pair signal that they have encountered something unexpected but not immediately dangerous.

Character Development

• Geralt demonstrates his willingness to accept supernatural cases while maintaining his personal boundaries and dry sense of humor. His heightened physical abilities, survival experience, and Spirit Sight establish him as far more capable than his youthful appearance suggests.
• Caitlin proves resourceful and manipulative, using the wording of Geralt’s refusal to persuade him to accept the mission. She also acts as his primary source of intelligence.
• Susan Carpenter appears efficient, perceptive, and loyal to the Gates Group. She protects the company’s decision to hire Geralt and subtly humiliates Edmund.
• Edmund/Turner is introduced as arrogant and resentful after failing to intimidate Geralt. Despite his hostility, he is skilled enough to serve as a lookout within the mercenary team.
• Leon is presented as an apparently weak, sleep-deprived young man who nevertheless commands fierce loyalty and fear, suggesting exceptional intelligence or a powerful ability.
• Morgan reveals an enhanced sense of smell but suffers physically after pushing her ability too far.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus ability: Geralt’s clean, youthful appearance causes others to underestimate him, while his experience and supernatural powers make him one of the most capable investigators present.
• The limits of conventional expertise: Thorn Snake’s trained professionals fail because the case involves supernatural forces beyond their specialization.
• Money and morality: The enormous reward motivates investigators to risk their lives, while the contract’s limited compensation for failure raises questions about whether some participants may have ulterior motives.
• Trust and secrecy: Geralt must conceal the truth from Nancy, recognizing that even well-intentioned lies can damage relationships.
• Intelligence behind violence: The monsters’ coordinated movements imply planning, suggesting that the disappearances may be part of a deliberate conspiracy rather than simple attacks.

Character Interactions

• Geralt and Caitlin bargain over the case and the embarrassing caterpillar prank.
• Geralt exchanges polite but restrained words with Susan, who later defends him against Edmund.
• Edmund attempts to embarrass Geralt, but Geralt’s alertness turns the prank against him.
• Caitlin informs Geralt about Thorn Snake’s failed search and teases him about being considered an “irregular” specialist.
• Geralt observes the various investigators at Eden Lake, including the plant-sensitive man, the scent specialist Morgan, and the medium attempting to contact the Forest Spirit.
• Leon directs Morgan, Edmund, and the rest of the mercenary squad, revealing the group’s disciplined structure and his authority over them.

Chapter 702 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kara, a woman in a baseball cap, reveals that she has secretly followed Mantis’s mercenary group. She offers cooperation, claiming she can help them track their target and does not want a share of the reward.
• Mantis distrusts her explanation and attempts to have his men assault her. Kara reveals that she is covered in C4 explosives and threatens to detonate them all.
• When Kara releases the detonator, it fails to activate. Mantis interprets this as luck—or, secretly, the effect of his Demon Wish Card. Instead of killing her, he becomes fascinated by her courage and agrees to cooperate, warning his men not to touch her.
• Kara uses a bronze compass and an incantation to identify the direction of the missing people: deeper into the Flying Dragon Mountains.
• As night approaches, the group discovers Geralt camping by a stream. Turner recognizes him and wants revenge for a previous humiliation, but Mantis stops him and forces the mercenaries to camp elsewhere.
• Geralt calmly cooks and eats a rabbit while ignoring the mercenaries. Turner suggests killing him after dark, but Mantis’s threatening response silences everyone.
• During the night, Geralt detects monsters approaching the mercenaries’ camp. He leaves secretly, allowing the monsters to attack the group while he uses the chaos to raid their base and continue into the mountains.
• Kara follows Geralt and confronts him after he notices her. She admits that her earlier weakness was an act and explains that she is a novice Demon Hunter seeking Daniel Gates for personal reasons.
• Kara asks Geralt to help find Daniel, offering him 100,000 Beli. Since she cannot transfer money without a signal, she pays him a small cash deposit, and Geralt accepts the deal.

Character Developments

• Kara is shown to be highly capable, observant, and willing to risk death to achieve her goal. Her explosive vest demonstrates both her preparedness and desperation. However, she is also inexperienced: she misjudges Mantis, struggles with the satellite phone, and fails to recognize the danger surrounding Geralt until late in the chapter.
• Mantis appears unstable and sexually predatory, but his madness is partly a calculated performance used to control his men and intimidate enemies. He is fascinated by Kara’s fearlessness and is willing to accept her as a partner after witnessing her threat. His Demon Wish Card also appears to have caused the detonator malfunction.
• Geralt remains calm, self-sufficient, and highly competent in the wilderness. He notices the mercenaries’ defenses, detects the approaching monsters, and uses the attack to his advantage rather than helping them. His willingness to cooperate is driven primarily by money.
• Turner remains aggressive and vengeful but is easily intimidated by Mantis. His hostility toward Geralt exposes his lack of judgment and courage.
• The mercenaries are portrayed as dangerous in ordinary circumstances but cowardly and dependent when faced with genuine supernatural or wilderness threats.

Significant Themes

• Madness versus calculated behavior: Mantis’s apparent insanity is revealed to be a deliberate strategy, blurring the line between genuine instability and manipulation.
• Survival and self-reliance: The chapter contrasts Geralt’s practical wilderness skills with the mercenaries’ dependence on weapons and intimidation.
• Deception and hidden motives: Kara disguises her weakness and conceals her true identity, while Mantis hides his rationality behind a lunatic persona.
• Luck, supernatural power, and manipulation: The Demon Wish Card may have saved Mantis from Kara’s explosives, suggesting that apparent coincidence is influenced by supernatural forces.
• Money and personal loyalty: Mantis is motivated by profit, while Kara is driven by family and personal duty. Geralt, in contrast, agrees to help only after receiving a concrete financial offer.
• Predator and prey: Kara initially tries to negotiate with Mantis but realizes she has approached someone more dangerous than herself. Geralt, meanwhile, treats the mercenaries and monsters as obstacles to be avoided or exploited.

Important Character Interactions

• Kara and Mantis: Their negotiation shifts from hostility and attempted sexual violence to wary cooperation after Kara threatens mutual destruction. Mantis’s fascination with her changes the power dynamic.
• Mantis and Turner: Mantis humiliates and disciplines Turner, making clear that his authority rests on fear.
• Geralt and the mercenaries: Geralt ignores them, outperforms them in survival skills, and indirectly abandons them to a monster attack. The mercenaries fear confronting him despite their earlier aggression.
• Kara and Geralt: Kara first follows Geralt secretly, then admits her identity and asks for help. Geralt tests her honesty, notices her inconsistencies, and finally agrees to assist after negotiating payment.

Chapter 703 Summary

Plot Points and Events

• While traveling through the jungle, Kara complains that insects target her while avoiding Geralt. Geralt reveals that his “insect repellent” is simply a tissue moistened with his saliva. Although disgusted, Kara uses it and finds that it works.
• Geralt deliberately slows their progress by suggesting a rest when Kara is exhausted, pretending that he is the tired one. He gives her a wild fruit, leading to another comedic misunderstanding when she unknowingly wipes it with the saliva-covered tissue.
• Kara confronts Geralt about attracting the monsters to the mercenaries’ camp by scattering rabbit blood and entrails. Geralt admits nothing directly, but his actions clearly allowed the monsters to attack the morally corrupt mercenaries. Kara warns that Mantis, their captain, is dangerous and may seek revenge.
• Geralt explains how he tracked the monsters. Their heavy footprints vanished because they were leaping between trees rather than traveling on the ground. He concludes that the monsters—and possibly an intelligent controller—are hiding in a nearby valley.
• Before entering the valley, Geralt insists that they carefully inspect their equipment. He reinforces the importance of preparation by quoting the Winchester Demon Hunter Code. Kara checks her firearms, grenades, knives, wire, Golden Compass, and supernatural pendant.
• The chapter provides background on the Golden Compass, emphasizing that it extracts a severe price—possibly lifespan—for granting wishes. Geralt recalls Mary’s warning that demons manipulate the idea of “equivalent exchange,” and that the Winchester philosophy is to force demons to serve rather than bargain with them.
• Geralt and Kara enter a mist-filled valley and discover a wooden cabin surrounded by tulip trees. Geralt determines that the mist is a detection system and that they have already been noticed. He cautions Kara not to confuse an open approach with recklessness.
• The soil around the cabin contains herbs associated with protection, healing, and warding supernatural creatures. This makes Geralt question whether the cabin’s owner truly controls the monsters.
• After knocking and joking that they are conducting a “water meter inspection,” Geralt forces open the unlocked door. Inside, they find evidence of blood, herbs, strange ingredients, and a family photograph.
• Kara recognizes herself as the little girl in the photograph and realizes the cabin belonged to her family. In another room are bottles containing reptiles, insects, and other dangerous creatures. In the bedroom, they find Kara’s father dead on the bed.
• Kara rushes toward the corpse, but Geralt restrains and knocks her unconscious to prevent her from acting irrationally or triggering danger.
• Geralt examines her father’s body. The man suffered a severe chest wound that was crudely stitched and treated with herbs, but he ultimately died, possibly from blood loss, poisoning, or infection.
• Geralt discovers the father’s diary, which begins revealing the family’s tragic history. The entries identify Kara’s parents as Pamela and Kaecilius and describe their struggle to survive after becoming lost in the forest during the Eden Lake Summer Camp Massacre.
• The diary accuses the demon Bor Gates and his accomplices of causing the massacre. Kara’s parents eventually found the valley and cabin, survived on limited supplies and wild fruit, and waited unsuccessfully for rescue.
• The final entries describe Pamela’s worsening illness and Kaecilius’s desperate prayers for God to save his wife.

Character Developments

• Geralt continues to display practical intelligence, emotional restraint, and a sardonic sense of humor. He uses deception and diversion strategically, prepares meticulously, and remains cautious even when confident in his abilities.
• Geralt also shows subtle concern for Kara. He gives her food, slows down when she is exhausted, prevents her from rushing into danger, and knocks her unconscious only to protect her from acting impulsively.
• Kara becomes increasingly dependent on Geralt’s judgment while still challenging his methods. Her teasing frustration gradually gives way to trust and admiration, especially when she recognizes his tactical brilliance.
• Kara’s emotional stability collapses when she discovers the family photograph and her father’s corpse. Her professional identity as a Demon Hunter is overwhelmed by her personal connection to the tragedy.
• Kara demonstrates growing awareness of supernatural dangers, particularly the Golden Compass’s costs and the possibility that an intelligent force controls the monsters.
• Kara’s parents, Pamela and Kaecilius, are developed through the diary as loving, religious, and determined survivors. Their devotion to Kara and to one another explains the emotional weight of the cabin discovery.

Significant Themes

• Preparation versus recklessness: Geralt repeatedly stresses that careful equipment checks, scouting, and caution are essential for survival.
• The cost of supernatural power: The Golden Compass may grant knowledge or fulfill a desire, but it consumes lifespan according to the user’s need and the importance of the request.
• The danger of bargains with demons: The chapter argues that “equivalent exchange” is often a deceptive promise, since demons manipulate humans into paying far more than they realize.
• Intelligence as a greater threat than strength: Geralt fears intelligent monsters more than ordinary ones because they can plan, use traps, and exploit human weaknesses.
• Family, memory, and grief: The photograph and diary transform the investigation into a deeply personal tragedy for Kara.
• Moral ambiguity and justice: Geralt’s manipulation of the mercenaries reflects a willingness to let dangerous criminals suffer, especially when the law cannot punish them.
• Faith and desperation: Kaecilius’s diary shows how prolonged suffering turns religious devotion into desperate pleas for divine intervention.

Character Interactions

• Geralt and Kara’s relationship remains marked by sarcasm, irritation, and growing trust. Their banter over insect repellent, wild fruit, and the “water meter inspection” provides comic relief amid the increasingly grim investigation.
• Kara challenges Geralt about his treatment of the mercenaries, while Geralt questions whether she truly sympathizes with them.
• Geralt mentors Kara by teaching her to track supernatural creatures, inspect equipment, identify protective herbs, and avoid impulsive actions.
• Kara briefly admires Geralt’s competence and concern, even when he deliberately provokes her.
• Their partnership changes dramatically when they enter the cabin: Geralt becomes the cautious protector, while Kara is forced to confront her forgotten or suppressed family history.

Chapter 704 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kaecilius’s diary reveals the tragedy behind the Modified Goblins. After Pamela’s death, Kaecilius discovered witchcraft and spent years learning it in the jungle. He later modified naturally weak Goblins into enormous, powerful creatures.
• Kaecilius recognized Daniel Gates as a descendant of Bor Gates, the man he blamed for the Eden Lake Summer Camp Massacre. Driven by grief and hatred, he attempted to abduct Daniel and others using the Modified Goblins.
• Kaecilius’s emotional instability caused the Goblins to lose control. They killed and cannibalized a captive, then attacked Kaecilius himself. Haunted by guilt over the innocent deaths, Kaecilius gave up on survival and accepted death.
• Geralt reads the diary and gives it to Kara so she can learn the truth about the massacre and her parents. He then enters the Goblins’ hidden mountain cave to rescue the remaining captives and eliminate the monsters.
• Inside, Geralt finds eight prisoners, including Daniel Gates, three high school students, the Outdoor Rescue Expert Team, and two private detectives. One of the students, Julian, has already been eaten by the Goblin leader.
• Geralt shoots the Goblin leader but fails to kill it with the initial shot. He activates 10% of his Forbidden Spellmark, using the resulting concealment ability to approach the leader and crush its head with Black Goat.
• The remaining Goblins flee in panic, proving that despite their enhanced size and strength, they still retain their natural instinct to bully the weak and fear stronger opponents. Geralt kills several, while the rest escape through an underground river.
• Geralt’s Fly King consumes the dead Goblins, granting him increases to strength, agility, and constitution. He also discovers and collects valuable objects beneath the Goblin throne, including an emerald and a gold nugget.
• He frees the captives by shooting apart their lock and leads them out of the cave. The group camps until dawn, where Geralt provides food and supplies.
• The survivors prepare soup using wilderness supplies gathered by Druin and his team. However, Geralt suspects the group has deliberately poisoned one of the wild fruits. When he threatens them at gunpoint, the rescue team members become visibly frightened, confirming his suspicion that they are hiding something.

Character Development

• Geralt remains cold, practical, and suspicious, but his actions reveal that he is fundamentally compassionate. He rescues the captives, gives them food without demanding payment, and shares emergency supplies despite maintaining an intimidating demeanor.
• Kaecilius is portrayed as a tragic, morally broken man. His desire for revenge against the Gates family leads to the creation of the Goblins and the deaths of innocents, but his guilt ultimately overwhelms him. His story highlights how grief and vengeance destroy him.
• Daniel Gates changes from a privileged, wealthy young man into a helpless prisoner dependent on Geralt for survival. His hunger and exhaustion strip away his former arrogance.
• Druin and the Outdoor Rescue Expert Team initially appear cooperative and capable in wilderness survival, but Geralt’s suspicions expose that they may have ulterior motives. Druin’s group becomes frightened when confronted, suggesting they are concealing dangerous information.
• The medium recognizes Geralt and sincerely thanks him, contrasting his former dismissive attitude with newfound respect.
• The Modified Goblins retain their original cowardly and opportunistic nature despite their physical enhancements. They are dangerous when united but quickly flee after their leader is killed.

Significant Themes

• Grief and revenge: Kaecilius’s mourning for Pamela turns into destructive hatred, causing him to repeat the violence he once suffered.
• Justice versus power: The Gates Group’s wealth and influence place it above the law, leaving Kaecilius convinced that witchcraft is his only avenue for justice.
• Guilt and moral limits: Kaecilius recognizes that innocent people died because of his actions. His inability to forgive himself leads him to surrender to death.
• Appearance versus reality: The Goblins look terrifyingly powerful but remain cowardly by nature. Geralt, meanwhile, appears heartless but repeatedly helps vulnerable people.
• Hunger and survival: Daniel’s desperate reaction to simple soup emphasizes how basic needs can reshape one’s perception of comfort and luxury.
• Trust and suspicion: Geralt refuses to accept appearances. His suspicion of the offered fruit reveals that the apparent rescue group may contain hidden enemies.

Character Interactions

• Geralt gives Kaecilius’s diary to Kara, allowing her to understand the truth about her family and the massacre.
• Geralt confronts the Goblin leader directly and kills it after using his Forbidden Spellmark.
• He frees the prisoners but remains emotionally distant, especially toward Daniel, whose wealth has no value in the jungle.
• Matt nervously asks Geralt for food, and Geralt supplies him without demanding repayment.
• Druin offers wilderness food and soup as a gesture of cooperation, but Geralt distrusts the wild fruit.
• When Geralt threatens the group at gunpoint, their fear and hesitation reveal that something is wrong, ending the chapter on a note of suspicion and impending confrontation.

Chapter 705 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Druin admits he tried to poison Geralt and the others with two wild fruits. Eaten together, they induce unconsciousness rather than immediate death, leaving victims vulnerable to jungle predators.
• Geralt retaliates brutally but deliberately: he pierces Druin’s thigh with a branch and shatters his kneecap with a gunshot. He then “forgives” him and orders Druin’s companion to drag him away within one minute, knowing the jungle’s predators make their survival unlikely.
• Claire, the female detective, struggles with Geralt’s harsh punishment, but her psychic partner reminds her that Druin and his companions would likely have killed them if their plan had succeeded.
• Kara appears after hearing the gunshot. Having read her father Kaecilius’s diary, she announces that she will continue his revenge against the Gates Group, though she intends to avoid his restrictive methods. Geralt refuses to interfere or offer unsolicited help, respecting her right to seek justice for herself.
• At dawn, Geralt signals a passing helicopter, but the supernatural effects surrounding the jungle prevent rescue. He leads Daniel and the remaining survivors back through the forest.
• They encounter Mountain Reconnaissance Battalion and Thorn Serpent Security personnel. Geralt hands Daniel over to Thorn Serpent but immediately intimidates two guards who attempt to approach him, punching one and disarming the other.
• Back in Black Pine Town, Geralt reviews the memory of Gululu Tata through the Book of Proverbs. He learns that the Goblin leader came from an underground tribe, was exiled after losing a leadership challenge, and later brought other exiled Goblins to the surface.
• A human offered Gululu and the Goblins dangerous modifications that would make them vastly stronger. Gululu eventually became a three-meter-tall monster and weakened his Obedience Curse by consuming human blood, allowing him to rebel and attack Kaecilius.
• Geralt visits Claw Restaurant and finds Nancy troubled. She opens up about her past as an amateur detective and explains a new case involving the murder of a seven-year-old girl in Storybrooke.
• The main suspect, elementary-school teacher Thompson, was seen with the girl and is linked to the physical evidence, yet hotel surveillance and more than a hundred witnesses place him in Phoenix during the murder. The contradictory evidence has left the investigation unsolved.

Character Developments

• Geralt demonstrates his ruthless sense of justice. He does not forgive betrayal in a conventional way, but he also avoids unnecessary moralizing and respects people’s right to pursue revenge. His loyalty to Winchester and confidence in its principles are reinforced.
• Druin is exposed as an ungrateful betrayer motivated by money for his daughter’s medical treatment. His actions leave him permanently injured and possibly doomed to die in the jungle.
• Claire is shown to possess strong compassion and justice, but her partner warns that these virtues can become harmful when applied without limits.
• Kara moves from grief toward active revenge. Unlike her father, she intends to pursue the Gates Group without being constrained by excessive moral hesitation.
• Nancy begins rebuilding trust with Geralt by revealing her former identity and emotional history. She also returns to detective work after years of abandoning it.
• Gululu Tata is portrayed as a survivor shaped by Goblin society, exile, experimentation, and oppression. His rebellion against the Obedience Curse makes him more complex than a simple monster.

Significant Themes

• Justice versus mercy: Geralt’s treatment of Druin questions whether forgiveness is meaningful when the offender has endangered innocent lives.
• The danger of uncontrolled morality: Claire’s kindness risks becoming naïve, while Geralt argues that outsiders should not demand forgiveness from victims.
• Revenge and personal agency: Kara’s decision to avenge her father highlights the importance of allowing victims to choose their own response rather than imposing reconciliation on them.
• Power, exploitation, and rebellion: The Goblins were transformed and controlled by humans, yet Gululu’s increased power eventually enabled him to resist his creators.
• Hidden worlds and incomplete knowledge: The underground Goblin ecosystem reveals that humanity understands only a small portion of the supernatural world.
• Contradictory truth: Thompson’s case introduces a mystery in which eyewitness testimony and physical evidence conflict with seemingly irrefutable alibi evidence.

Character Interactions

• Geralt confronts and punishes Druin while ordering his companions to remove him from the camp.
• Claire objects to abandoning or condemning the attackers, but her psychic partner persuades her that mercy would ignore the danger they posed.
• Kara and Geralt discuss revenge. Geralt refuses to promise assistance but does not discourage her, acknowledging her suffering and autonomy.
• Geralt clashes with Thorn Serpent guards, effortlessly overpowering and humiliating them before leaving.
• Geralt comforts Nancy, telling her she need not apologize for keeping secrets and offering to listen whenever she is ready.
• George teases Geralt about being a romantic manipulator, while Nancy responds playfully and comfortably, showing growing intimacy between her and Geralt.
• Nancy tells Geralt about Shirley’s murder and the impossible evidence surrounding Thompson, setting up the next investigation.

Chapter 706 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Nancy, George, Beth, and Geralt discuss the apparent contradiction in Shirley’s murder: DNA and witness testimony implicate Thompson, yet Thompson had a solid alibi. Possible explanations such as disguises, twins, or supernatural creatures are considered.
• Geralt searches the official mission website and discovers that Shirley’s murder case has already been accepted by another investigator.
• Nancy and Geralt travel to Storybrooke, where they meet Nancy’s close friend Claire and Claire’s boyfriend, Simmons. Geralt charms Claire with exaggerated praise, while Simmons quietly becomes jealous and resentful of him.
• Claire explains that Thompson may soon be released because the evidence is inconclusive. Shirley’s family may attempt revenge, potentially creating a violent confrontation.
• At the tree where Shirley’s body was found, Nancy experiences her supernatural empathy with the dead. She sees Shirley’s final moments and learns that the killer was a faceless, lizard-like humanoid that later transformed into Thompson. Before killing Shirley, it declared that she would “become the fuse.”
• Geralt theorizes that the killer wants to provoke a bloody conflict between Thompson, the police, and Shirley’s family. He proposes using this motive to lure the killer out by making it believe the investigators could interfere with its plan.
• Claire agrees to spread the information. Because her father is Storybrooke’s police chief, she deliberately argues with him about Nancy’s supposed evidence, ensuring that the town’s gossip network will quickly circulate the story.
• Claire returns to the inn with clothes for Nancy, though the bag also contains provocative clothing and adult items, embarrassing Nancy and revealing Claire’s playful interest in Nancy’s relationship with Geralt.
• Simmons remains skeptical of the supernatural explanation and is angry that Claire continues supporting the investigation.

Character Developments

• Geralt demonstrates emotional awareness by supporting Nancy’s suspicions rather than challenging her. He also shows strategic thinking by identifying the likely purpose of Shirley’s murder and proposing a trap for the killer.
• Nancy becomes increasingly emotionally involved in the case. Her empathy exposes Shirley’s final memories, but the experience causes her severe pain and leaves her physically vulnerable. She also shows uncertainty about her future with Geralt because she plans to attend university elsewhere.
• Claire is revealed to be Nancy’s loyal friend, an effective investigator, and a skilled manipulator of local gossip. She trusts her intuition about Thompson and actively helps Nancy despite opposition from her father and Simmons.
• Simmons becomes jealous and insecure around Geralt. His assumptions about rural people are shattered by Geralt’s appearance and intelligence, making him feel inferior. He also refuses to accept the existence of monsters and increasingly opposes Claire’s involvement.
• Nancy and Claire’s friendship is affectionate and intimate, though Claire teases Nancy about her romantic and sexual relationship with Geralt.
• Nancy and Geralt’s relationship grows closer. Geralt comforts Nancy after her vision, while Nancy admits that they are allowing intimacy to develop naturally.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus evidence: Supernatural visions and intuition may reveal the truth, but neither can be easily accepted in court or by conventional authorities.
• The limits of rational investigation: DNA and alibis point in opposite directions, suggesting that ordinary explanations cannot solve the case.
• Manipulation and justice: The killer appears to be engineering a violent confrontation, turning grief and suspicion into weapons.
• Courage and self-defense: Geralt reflects that kindness does not mean passively accepting insults or harm; people must be willing to protect themselves.
• Love and uncertainty: Claire encourages Nancy to live in the present rather than fear that future changes will destroy her relationship with Geralt.
• Skepticism versus belief: Nancy, Claire, and Geralt begin accepting a supernatural explanation, while Simmons represents disbelief and resistance to the impossible.

Important Character Interactions

• Geralt wins Claire’s approval by praising both her and Nancy, while inadvertently provoking Simmons’s jealousy.
• Claire and Nancy discuss Nancy’s reluctance to deepen her relationship with Geralt, revealing Nancy’s fears about leaving for university and becoming emotionally conflicted.
• Geralt supports Nancy physically and emotionally after her traumatic vision.
• Geralt, Nancy, and Claire collaborate on a plan to expose the killer by spreading the idea that Thompson may be innocent.
• Claire clashes with her father, the police chief, but intentionally uses the argument to make the information spread throughout Storybrooke.

Chapter 707 Summary

Plot Points and Major Events

• Claire confronts Simmons after he dismisses her suspicions about the supernatural. His refusal to investigate reminds her of the adults who once rejected her intuition and Nancy’s Empathy.
• Geralt, Nancy, and Claire examine the stolen van allegedly used by Thompson to abduct and murder Shirley. Nancy’s Empathy finds nothing, leaving the case unresolved.
• Nancy decides not to return to Black Pine Town and avoids calling her father.
• While Geralt and Nancy stay at the inn, a creature disguised as Claire appears at Geralt’s door. Geralt immediately recognizes the impostor and kicks her through the room.
• The “Claire” duplicate reveals herself as the Mutant Shapeshifter responsible for the murders. She can perfectly copy a person’s appearance, voice, behavior, and even DNA, and can gain memories through physical contact.
• The monster shoots Geralt repeatedly with a .38-caliber pistol while he shields Nancy. Though wounded, Geralt survives, removes the bullets, and quickly recovers. The shapeshifter escapes.
• Geralt arms himself and Nancy, then contacts Caitlin for assistance and reminds her that the Gates Group still owes him payment.
• Geralt finally reveals to Nancy that he is a Winchester Demon Hunter and explains the Demon Hunter Guild, licensing system, and his family background.
• Nick Burkhardt, a Grimm, arrives with his supernatural companions Eddie Monroe, a Werewolf, and Rosalee Calvert, a Demon Fox. They failed to catch the shapeshifter but exchange information with Geralt.
• Nick explains that he has been investigating the Mutant Shapeshifter for a month. Monroe warns Nick that the Winchester family is infamous and feared for its ruthless methods.

Character Developments

• Claire: Remains composed despite Simmons’s disbelief, showing maturity and emotional restraint. Her confidence in her intuition is reinforced when the monster copies her form.
• Simmons: His skepticism collapses when he witnesses the supernatural creature surviving a broken neck and attacking Geralt. His worldview is effectively shattered.
• Geralt: Demonstrates sharp supernatural perception, physical durability, combat instincts, and willingness to protect Nancy. He also begins openly trusting Nancy with the truth about his identity.
• Nancy: Moves from confusion and fear to acceptance. She reacts with concern after Geralt is shot but remains supportive, accepts his supernatural background, and begins training with his hand crossbow.
• Nick: Is established as a relatively inexperienced Grimm and police officer who is gradually entering the supernatural world. He is impressed by Geralt’s abilities and knowledge.
• Monroe and Rosalee: Their fear of the Winchester reputation reveals how influential—and dangerous—the family is within the supernatural community.

Significant Themes

• Disbelief versus truth: Humans instinctively reject phenomena outside their understanding, while Claire and Geralt recognize that the supernatural must be investigated rather than dismissed.
• Identity and deception: The shapeshifter’s ability to copy people perfectly raises questions about whether appearance, behavior, memories, or DNA truly define identity.
• Trust and disclosure: Geralt’s willingness to reveal his profession strengthens his relationship with Nancy, while Nick’s group must decide whether the Winchesters can be trusted.
• Moral judgment beyond appearances: Geralt emphasizes that supernatural beings are not inherently good or evil, just as humans are not. His acceptance of Monroe and Rosalee contrasts with fanatical monster hunters.
• Reputation and power: The Winchester name carries enormous weight, creating both respect and fear among experienced supernatural hunters.

Character Interactions

• Claire and Simmons clash over his refusal to believe her.
• Geralt and Nancy grow closer as he protects her from gunfire and she embraces his supernatural nature.
• Geralt explains his profession and the Demon Hunter Guild to Nancy, giving her access to the hidden world he inhabits.
• Geralt meets Nick, Monroe, and Rosalee, openly identifying their supernatural natures and reassuring them that he does not kill indiscriminately.
• Monroe and Rosalee caution Nick about the Winchesters, emphasizing their reputation for relentless and unconventional methods.

Chapter 708 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Monroe is revealed to be an unusual Blood Wolf: gentle, timid, and exiled from his pack because he no longer wished to participate in hunts. His temperament helps explain why Blood Wolves, Grimms, and Demon Foxes can form friendships.
• Sheriff Martin and two officers respond quickly to the shooting at the Three Little Pigs Inn. Martin is ordered to cooperate with Geralt, a special agent from the mysterious No. 9 Precinct.
• Geralt shows Martin credentials whose validity depends entirely on whether No. 9 Precinct recognizes them. He refuses to share investigative details, claiming everything is classified.
• Police discover fifteen shell casings and seven bullets embedded in the inn’s wall, but cannot account for the other eight bullets. They do not realize the Shapeshifter absorbed or caught them with his body.
• Geralt and Nancy spend the next two days together, while Nancy takes time off from work.
• On the day Thompson is released from custody, supporters and opponents gather outside the police station. Thompson appears transformed by imprisonment: thinner and hardened, but determined and commanding.
• Thompson claims that evil forces are invading Storybrooke and says he has seen God. He insists that Shirley was chosen as God’s incarnation and that her death was a necessary sacrifice.
• The Shapeshifter, disguised as one of Martin’s officers, prepares to provoke violence when the Mitchell family fails to appear.
• Geralt identifies the disguised Shapeshifter and attacks him with an unknown liquid, exposing his true form: a large, upright chameleon-like monster. The Shapeshifter escapes into the woods amid the crowd’s panic.
• Nancy explains the situation to Martin, revealing that the monster can imitate others and may also have impersonated Thompson. Both Geralt and Thompson disappear.
• Thompson follows the Shapeshifter into the forest but encounters Claire instead. He admits that Shirley was sacrificed because he believed she was an incarnation of God.
• Claire condemns Thompson as an accomplice, while Shirley’s father Hank and brother Sasha emerge, prepared to confront him with a butcher’s knife.

Character Developments

• Sheriff Martin is shown as capable and deeply committed to justice, but also stubborn, arrogant, and frustrated by Geralt’s secrecy. His past as a repeatedly demoted big-city sheriff explains his abrasive personality.
• Geralt remains confident, secretive, and highly competent. He distrusts ordinary police methods against supernatural creatures and successfully identifies the Shapeshifter before it can start a massacre.
• Nancy becomes increasingly involved as Geralt’s partner. She asks many questions, helps explain the monster’s abilities to Martin, and displays confidence as an “amateur detective.”
• Thompson returns from prison physically weakened but mentally hardened and fanatically convinced that Shirley’s death served a divine purpose. His claim of innocence is exposed as misleading: he did not kill Shirley directly but supported the Shapeshifter’s actions.
• Claire moves from suspicion to certainty about Thompson’s role. Her grief turns into anger, and she is willing to allow Shirley’s family to pursue revenge outside the law.
• The Shapeshifter is shown to be manipulative and skilled at impersonation but not especially powerful in direct combat. Its confidence collapses when Geralt detects it.
• Shirley’s family has been consumed by grief and vengeance. Hank and Sasha are prepared to kill Thompson despite the legal consequences.

Significant Themes

• Justice versus revenge: The police are bound by law, while Shirley’s family seeks personal retribution. Claire recognizes that revenge may bring guilt but considers it justified.
• Faith and fanaticism: Thompson interprets Shirley’s death through a distorted religious belief, treating the Shapeshifter as a divine being and justifying murder as sacrifice.
• Appearance versus reality: The Shapeshifter’s ability to imitate people reflects the broader uncertainty surrounding identities, innocence, and guilt. Thompson appears to be an innocent victim but is ultimately revealed as an accomplice.
• Law enforcement versus supernatural threats: Martin’s conventional police methods are inadequate against a creature capable of copying appearances and memories, forcing Geralt to work independently.
• Trauma and transformation: Prison changes Thompson into a more determined but also more fanatical man, while Shirley’s death transforms her family’s grief into violent vengeance.

Character Interactions

• Geralt and Martin clash over authority, secrecy, and investigative methods, with Geralt repeatedly dismissing Martin’s questions.
• Geralt and Nancy develop a close, playful partnership, combining romance with supernatural investigation.
• Thompson’s interaction with the police chief reveals his newfound religious conviction and determination to confront the evil threatening Storybrooke.
• Geralt exposes the Shapeshifter in front of Martin, Thompson, Claire, and the assembled crowd, forcing everyone to confront the supernatural reality.
• Claire confronts Thompson in the forest, accusing him of sacrificing Shirley and calling him insane.
• Hank and Sasha confront Thompson directly, driven by grief and rage over Shirley’s death.

Chapter 709 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• On the day of Thompson’s release, Geralt and Nancy wait outside the Storybrooke police station amid opposing groups of supporters and accusers.
• Thompson emerges from custody noticeably changed by his imprisonment. He insists that he is not Shirley’s murderer and warns the police chief that an evil force is infiltrating Storybrooke.
• Thompson reveals that he has seen the “God” behind the recent tragedy, though he still does not traditionally believe in God. His statements suggest that he is connected to the supernatural events.
• Geralt identifies the Shapeshifter disguised as one of the police officers. He splashes it with Lolisa’s revealing potion, forcing it to revert to its true form: a humanoid chameleon-like monster.
• The Shapeshifter flees into the forest while the police hesitate to shoot because of the surrounding civilians. Thompson also disappears and pursues the monster.
• Nancy explains to Martin that the creature had impersonated a police officer and could also have impersonated Thompson. Martin begins questioning who Geralt and Nancy really are.
• In the forest, Claire confronts Thompson. He admits that Shirley was sacrificed because he believed she was chosen by the monster’s “God.” He views the Shapeshifter as a divine being bringing purification to the world.
• Claire concludes that Thompson is insane and reveals that she and the Mitchell family had planned to expose him. Though Thompson is not Shirley’s direct murderer, he knowingly aided the Shapeshifter and is therefore an accomplice.
• Claire leaves Thompson to Shirley’s father Hank and brother Sasha, who intend to punish him themselves. Thompson protests that vigilante revenge is illegal, but Claire accepts that she may carry guilt if it means justice for Shirley.
• The chapter then flashes back to the previous day, explaining how Geralt’s group uncovered Thompson’s involvement:
  • A ballistic report showed that the weapon used by the Shapeshifter came from the Storybrooke police evidence room.
  • Geralt deduced that the Shapeshifter had likely impersonated an insider and manipulated the evidence.
  • Joseph hacked the police station’s surveillance system, allowing Claire and Nancy to search a month of footage.
  • Geralt obtained a potion from Lolisa that would force the Shapeshifter to reveal its real form.
  • Geralt, Nick, and Monroe incapacitated the devastated Mitchell family and brought them near the station so they could witness the truth firsthand.
• After the Shapeshifter flees, Geralt pursues it into the woods. Nick, Monroe, and Lolisa ambush it with a crossbow bolt. Monroe explains that he mixed his blood into the potion, enabling him to track the creature by scent.
• Nick allows Geralt to fight the monster himself. Geralt summons a hammer and engages the Shapeshifter in close combat, despite the creature’s strength and paralyzing bodily fluids.

Character Developments

• Thompson is revealed to be neither innocent nor the primary murderer. Imprisonment has strengthened his resolve, but his suffering has also deepened his fanaticism. He genuinely believes the Shapeshifter is a divine being and accepts Shirley’s death as a holy sacrifice.
• Claire undergoes a painful change in perspective. She had strongly believed Thompson was innocent, but after learning the truth, she recognizes him as an accomplice. Her anger overwhelms her faith in legal justice, though she is tormented by the possibility that allowing revenge makes her morally culpable.
• Geralt continues to demonstrate his investigative skill, tactical planning, and supernatural combat ability. He carefully orchestrates the exposure of the Shapeshifter and ensures the Mitchell family can see the truth for themselves.
• Nancy becomes more confident and capable as Geralt’s partner. She helps explain the situation to the police and presents herself as an “amateur detective.”
• The Mitchell family shifts from grief and confusion toward revenge after witnessing Thompson’s connection to Shirley’s death.
• The Shapeshifter is shown to be manipulative rather than overwhelmingly powerful. It excels at impersonation, deception, and provoking human conflict, but is only moderately capable in direct combat.
• Nick and Monroe contribute specialized abilities: Nick provides tactical support with his crossbow, while Monroe’s blood-scent tracking allows the group to continue the pursuit.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus appearance: The Shapeshifter’s ability to imitate anyone reflects the difficulty of distinguishing reality from deception.
• Faith and fanaticism: Thompson transforms the monster’s crimes into religious doctrine, showing how belief can be twisted to justify cruelty.
• Justice versus revenge: The Mitchell family’s grief challenges the limits of legal justice, while Claire struggles with whether revenge can ever be morally justified.
• Suffering and transformation: Thompson’s imprisonment changes him, but rather than making him wiser, it reinforces his extremism.
• Manipulation of human weakness: The Shapeshifter deliberately exploits fear, grief, suspicion, and social division for its own amusement.
• Moral ambiguity: Thompson is not the direct killer, yet his willing cooperation makes him responsible. Claire, meanwhile, must decide whether condemning him outside the law makes her complicit in wrongdoing.

Important Character Interactions

• Geralt and Nancy work together to monitor Thompson and expose the disguised Shapeshifter.
• Thompson and the police chief discuss Thompson’s return, his belief in a supernatural enemy, and the danger facing Storybrooke.
• Geralt confronts the Shapeshifter publicly, exposing its disguise and disrupting its attempt to create chaos.
• Claire confronts Thompson over Shirley’s death and rejects his religious justification.
• Hank and Sasha confront Thompson after Claire identifies him as an accomplice.
• Geralt’s team coordinates with the Mitchell family, using the police-station scene to prove the truth rather than merely asking the grieving family to trust them.
• Nick, Monroe, and Lolisa assist Geralt in tracking and trapping the Shapeshifter, leading into the chapter’s final battle.

Chapter 710 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Geralt defeats the Shapeshifter using his hammer’s special skill, Rage Burst, which sends devastating force through the creature’s body.
• Before Geralt can finish it with his Demon-Breaking Crossbow, three masked figures arrive. They introduce Victor, heir to the so-called Grimm Royal Family, whose faction claims the Shapeshifter under its protection.
• Geralt refuses to recognize the royal family’s authority and kills the Shapeshifter anyway. Victor threatens him, but retreats rather than risk open conflict with the Winchester family.
• Geralt summons Fly King, one of his magical tools, which consumes the Shapeshifter. He gains increases to Strength, Agility, Spirit, and Constitution, and receives the strange Curious Mask bookmark.
• The group returns to the Three Little Pigs Inn. Nick leaves to return to his job as a police officer and to prevent his long-term girlfriend from breaking up with him. His supernatural identity is known by his warlock boss and two coworkers, but not by his girlfriend.
• Claire struggles with whether she was right to pursue justice for Shirley. Geralt explains that the legal system would likely fail to provide meaningful punishment and suggests judging the decision by whether it was worthwhile rather than simply right or wrong.
• Claire, Geralt, Nancy, and Simmons return to the place where Shirley died. Through Nancy’s Spirit Sight, Shirley thanks Claire and peacefully departs for a warm place, confirming that she has been freed.
• The chapter then shifts to José Lozano, a poor Mexican man persuaded by his childhood friend Evan to pay for illegal passage into the United States.
• José and dozens of migrants are packed into a sealed refrigerated truck, where extreme heat and lack of air cause many to die. Evan discovers the disaster but abandons the victims to protect himself.
• The migrants’ transport is connected to the Maya Gang, a criminal organization posing as a motorcycle club. Gang leader Felipe Reyes executes Evan for leaving the truck and orders the evidence cleaned up.

Character Developments

• Geralt demonstrates confidence, combat skill, and defiance toward powerful supernatural factions. He refuses to be intimidated by Victor and begins openly introducing his magical tools to allies.
• Victor is shown to be proud but cautious. Although he invokes the authority of the Grimm Royal Family, he avoids fighting after realizing that Geralt’s death would bring little benefit and could damage his political position.
• Nick is revealed to balance supernatural duties with an ordinary career and romantic life, emphasizing that he is not a full-time demon hunter.
• Claire moves from uncertainty toward emotional closure. Shirley’s gratitude reassures her that her actions were worthwhile.
• Simmons becomes increasingly unsettled after witnessing Geralt’s supernatural activities and realizing Claire is involved in a world he barely understands.
• José is introduced as hopeful but vulnerable, driven by poverty and the desire for a better future.
• Evan is revealed to be selfish and complicit in human trafficking, prioritizing his own safety over the lives of the migrants.
• Felipe emerges as a ruthless, disciplined gang leader who maintains control through immediate violence and concealment.

Significant Themes

• Defiance against false authority: Geralt mocks the Grimm “royal family,” exposing its title as largely symbolic and refusing to submit to empty threats.
• Justice versus legality: Claire’s dilemma highlights the gap between formal punishment and meaningful justice, especially when supernatural crimes cannot be properly presented in court.
• Closure and release: Shirley’s peaceful departure suggests that justice, remembrance, and acknowledgment can help the dead move on.
• Hope and exploitation: José’s belief that life cannot become worse is manipulated by traffickers, revealing how desperation makes people vulnerable to false promises.
• Power and cruelty: Both the Grimm faction and the Maya Gang use status, threats, and violence to control others, though Geralt rejects such power structures.
• Human and supernatural monstrosity: The Shapeshifter calls Geralt a monster, while the chapter contrasts supernatural creatures with human beings capable of trafficking and murdering vulnerable people.

Character Interactions

• Geralt and the Shapeshifter exchange dark, philosophical remarks about being “monsters,” family, and loneliness before the creature dies.
• Geralt openly challenges Victor and his butler, turning their attempted diplomatic demand into a confrontation and forcing them to retreat.
• Monroe and Lolisa are frightened by Fly King, despite Geralt insisting that the grotesque creature is “kind of cute.”
• Geralt gives Claire pragmatic advice, while Claire seeks emotional confirmation that helping Shirley was worth the risks.
• Nancy acts as the intermediary between the living and Shirley, delivering Shirley’s final message of thanks.
• Simmons remains confused and frightened by Claire’s hidden involvement with monsters and spirits.
• Felipe interrogates Evan and Edward about the deaths in the truck, then executes Evan as an example and orders the gang to erase the evidence.

Chapter 711 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The aftermath of the deaths of more than fifty illegal immigrants is briefly discussed. Although the incident is unlikely to hold public attention for long, Evan is secretly doomed because he is the only person capable of connecting the deaths to the Maya Gang.
• Geralt and Nancy return to Black Pine Town and discover that Claw Restaurant has been vandalized. George has been slapped and injured, while Beth and Ace are also shaken.
• George explains that Terry, a former classmate and drug runner for the Maya Gang, tried to sell pills in the restaurant. After George threw him out, members of the Maya Gang retaliated by attacking the restaurant.
• The police are unable to offer much help. Chief Poirot explains that the gang’s members surrendered, obtained bail through their lawyers, and would likely face only minor legal consequences. He warns Nancy not to provoke them, emphasizing that her father could not bear losing her after already losing his wife.
• Geralt suspects the attack was not merely about selling drugs and decides to question Terry directly.
• Before leaving, Geralt consults the Book of Proverbs and views the memories of Tiyata Oak, a deceased shapeshifter.
• Tiyata fed exclusively on suspicion and manipulated people by creating conflict. In Storybrooke, he impersonated Thompson, convinced the suicidal man that he was an incarnation of God, and persuaded him that Shirley Mitchell had to be killed to “awaken” the town. Tiyata’s plan was disrupted by Geralt, who ultimately caused his death.
• Late at night, Geralt visits Terry in his trailer. He threatens him with Terry’s own gun and forces him to reveal information about the Maya Gang.
• Terry identifies Jeffrey—the son of deceased gang founder Darnell Tunock and stepson of current leader Felipe Reyes—as the person who ordered the drug operation at Claw Restaurant.
• Geralt also confirms that Terry was the one who struck George. As punishment, he shoots Terry through the palm, then leaves him alive with a warning for the Maya Gang.
• Terrified of retaliation for informing on the gang, Terry treats his wound and prepares to flee.

Character Developments

• Geralt: Demonstrates his growing sense of responsibility toward ordinary people, especially George. Rather than reacting impulsively, he considers the wider consequences of attacking the Maya Gang and uses intimidation and calculated violence to obtain information.
• Nancy: Feels guilty for being away when the restaurant was attacked and becomes more confident after witnessing Geralt’s power. Her anger toward those who hurt George contrasts with Chief Poirot’s warnings about the gang’s danger.
• George: Though badly treated, she initially tries to conceal the incident so Nancy will not become involved. Her loyalty and concern for Nancy reveal her gentle nature beneath her sharp manner.
• Terry: Is shown as an insecure, resentful alcoholic shaped by an abusive family. He imitates the destructive behavior of his father and survives as a low-level Maya Gang runner. Under pressure, he betrays the gang and becomes desperate to escape.
• Chief Poirot: Remains a principled but rigid lawman who understands the limits of the legal system. He cares about Nancy but cannot directly confront the gang outside the law.
• Tiyata Oak: His memories reveal him as a manipulative shapeshifter who treats human beings as toys and views himself as a godlike figure. His downfall results from Geralt’s unexpected interference.
• Ace: His admiration for the Maya Gang exposes how young people can romanticize criminal groups that appear powerful and glamorous.
• Cerberus: Provides brief comic relief by becoming absorbed in idol television shows, showing a mundane and almost human side despite being a demon.

Significant Themes

• The limits of justice: The Maya Gang exploits legal procedures, using lawyers and bail to avoid meaningful punishment. The chapter contrasts formal justice with Geralt’s personal, often brutal method of justice.
• Power and intimidation: Geralt’s authority comes not from official status but from the fear and certainty he inspires. Terry’s submission shows how quickly power can shift outside the law.
• Cycles of abuse: Terry became an alcoholic and potentially abusive figure despite growing up in an abusive home, illustrating how victims can reproduce the harm inflicted upon them.
• Manipulation through belief: Tiyata exploits Thompson’s desperation and need for God, demonstrating how faith and emotional vulnerability can be weaponized.
• Human indifference: The opening reflects society’s limited attention to the deaths of illegal immigrants, while the gang’s violence is similarly enabled by public apathy and institutional limitations.
• Consequences of provocation: Geralt understands that attacking the Maya Gang recklessly could place George and others in even greater danger, so he seeks information before acting.

Character Interactions

• Geralt supports Nancy and the restaurant staff while quietly assessing the situation, strengthening his bond with Nancy and George.
• Nancy confronts George emotionally, while George tries to protect her from becoming involved.
• Geralt and Chief Poirot discuss the gang attack, revealing the conflict between Geralt’s direct methods and the chief’s commitment to legal procedure.
• Geralt questions Terry in a tense interrogation, using Terry’s own gun and fear of abandonment to force him to cooperate.
• Geralt’s punishment of Terry serves both as revenge for George and as a calculated warning to the Maya Gang.
• Through Tiyata’s memories, the chapter also depicts the manipulative relationship between Tiyata and Thompson, in which Tiyata exploits Thompson’s despair and religious desperation.

Chapter 712 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Terry, recognizing Geralt as a calm and experienced killer, chooses to reveal everything rather than risk being tortured. Geralt uses Terry’s information to locate the Maya Gang’s warehouse.
• Geralt infiltrates the Maya Gang’s base and enters the bedroom of Felipe Reyes, the gang’s leader. He incapacitates Felipe’s wife, Jenny, and waits for Felipe to awaken.
• Geralt confronts Felipe, revealing his identity and explaining that he is intervening because the Maya Gang is targeting Claw Restaurant, a neighboring restaurant he values. Felipe’s gang intended to drive the restaurant out of business and force its owners to sell cheaply.
• Although Geralt presents himself casually and even jokes about leaving a five-star review, Felipe realizes that he has encountered someone extraordinarily dangerous. Geralt leaves without harming him.
• Using Spirit Sight, Geralt observes an enormous mass of dark fog above the warehouse and hears the cries of countless wronged souls, suggesting that the Maya Gang’s crimes have attracted supernatural punishment or “heavenly wrath.”
• The next day, Felipe orders Jenny to suspend the campaign against Claw Restaurant. He also instructs Jeffrey Tunock to investigate Geralt, the Winchester family, and everyone connected to the restaurant. Jeffrey receives a large amount of money and strict orders not to provoke Geralt.
• Jeffrey quickly produces a report stating that the Winchesters appear to be an ordinary family: John and Mary are geology and archaeology experts, while Geralt is an eighteen-year-old student. Felipe rejects this explanation, knowing that an ordinary teenager could not have infiltrated his bedroom so effortlessly.
• The chapter then shifts to Geralt’s home life. He summons his magical status book and reviews his attributes, class, abilities, and locked items. The book identifies him as a level-one Demon Hunter with Spirit Sight, Night Vision, Winchester Combat, and Forbidden Spellmark.
• Geralt’s unusual household is revealed. Rebecca, a centuries-old headless maid connected to the Headless Horseman, accidentally removes and replaces her head backward while serving breakfast. Cerberus, disguised as a puppy, is actually the three-headed hound of hell sealed by the Winchester family.
• A newspaper reports an office worker violently killing coworkers after an apparent mental breakdown. Geralt notices a strange winged, horned lion statue in the accompanying image and identifies it as possibly Pazuzu, hinting at a new supernatural threat.

Character Developments

• Geralt demonstrates his stealth, composure, intimidation, and moral boundaries. He is willing to threaten criminals but does not needlessly kill Felipe or his family. His concern for Claw Restaurant suggests a protective, justice-oriented side beneath his ruthless abilities.
• Felipe Reyes becomes deeply fearful and cautious after Geralt’s visit. Though accustomed to controlling others through violence and intimidation, he recognizes that Geralt represents a danger beyond the Maya Gang’s experience. He suspends the restaurant operation and begins investigating rather than retaliating.
• Jenny Reyes remains loyal to Felipe and immediately senses that something has frightened him. She supports the family and follows his orders without resistance.
• Jeffrey Tunock is shown to be a trusted and obedient subordinate. Felipe’s unusually serious instructions and generous funding make him realize that Geralt is a major threat.
• Terry acts pragmatically, choosing confession as the safest means of survival rather than pretending to be courageous.
• Rebecca provides comic relief while reinforcing the supernatural nature of Geralt’s household.
• Cerberus is introduced as both a seemingly ordinary dog and an ancient supernatural creature connected to the Winchester family’s history.

Significant Themes

• Power and intimidation: Geralt’s quiet confidence is more frightening than overt violence, while Felipe’s usual methods prove useless against him.
• Crime and moral consequence: The Maya Gang exploits ordinary people through intimidation, but the dark spiritual energy above their base suggests that their accumulated crimes have consequences.
• Justice versus legality: The gang’s harassment of Claw Restaurant is technically difficult to prosecute, emphasizing how vulnerable ordinary people are when facing organized criminals.
• Hidden identities and appearances: The supposedly ordinary Winchester family conceals supernatural knowledge and beings, while Geralt’s harmless appearance hides his abilities.
• The supernatural entering ordinary life: Criminal investigations, restaurants, schools, and newspapers coexist with demon hunters, hellhounds, headless servants, and possible ancient demons.
• Family and loyalty: Felipe relies on Jenny and Jeffrey, while Geralt’s household reflects a strange but tightly connected Winchester family legacy.

Character Interactions

• Geralt and Terry: Terry’s fear of Geralt leads him to reveal information about the Maya Gang.
• Geralt and Felipe: Their bedroom confrontation is controlled and psychological. Geralt remains relaxed and even humorous, while Felipe tries unsuccessfully to conceal his fear.
• Felipe and Jenny: Felipe orders her to stop targeting Claw Restaurant. Jenny obeys immediately and senses that his decision comes from genuine unease.
• Felipe and Jeffrey: Felipe emphasizes the danger of the investigation through money, tone, and strict instructions. Jeffrey accepts the assignment seriously.
• Geralt and Rebecca: Their breakfast exchange reveals the bizarre normality of the Winchester household and Geralt’s familiarity with supernatural servants.
• Geralt and Cerberus: Their casual conversation presents Cerberus’s infernal identity as an ordinary part of domestic life and introduces the mysterious Pazuzu-related incident.