Recaps

Lu Qi arrived in the Marvel Universe through his AFK System and was brought before The Ancient One, who discovered that he carried dark energy. After sending him on a terrifying journey through a strange space, The Ancient One decided to keep him at Kamar-Taj for observation.

• Lu Qi recounted how maxing out his Dark Realm in an AFK game transported him to Marvel, where The Ancient One invited him to drink tea.
• Lu Qi accidentally spilled tea and startled The Ancient One, who examined him and saw a future in which he could defeat Dormammu.
• The Ancient One noticed dark energy on Lu Qi, reassured him she would not harm him, and opened a portal so he could use the restroom.
• The Ancient One struck Lu Qi with a palm and sent him through a strange, disturbing space before returning him to his body.
• Lu Qi realized the Dark Energy displayed by his system was the source of the energy The Ancient One had detected.
• The Ancient One placed Lu Qi under observation in the Mirror Dimension and had Mordo escort him to his room at Kamar-Taj.

Lu Qi accidentally revealed his ability to control Dark Energy at Kamar-Taj, triggering a chaotic pursuit by the sorcerers. The Ancient One stopped them and declared that Lu Qi could become a true Dark Lord whose power would weaken Dormammu, then took him into the Mirror Dimension.

• Mordo showed Lu Qi his room and began teaching him magic, but Lu Qi failed to open a portal with a Sling Ring.
• Lu Qi sensed the energy inside himself and accidentally used Dark Energy to travel through shadows, alarming the sorcerers.
• Lu Qi fled from the sorcerers, summoned a Ninja Soldier from his shadow, and used it to escape several attempts to surround him.
• Kaecilius accused Lu Qi of serving Dormammu, but The Ancient One said Lu Qi controlled Dark Power rather than being controlled by it.
• The Ancient One explained that Lu Qi could weaken Dormammu and that Dark Power need not threaten Earth, changing the sorcerers’ view of him.
• The Ancient One pulled Lu Qi into the Mirror Dimension as the sorcerers regarded him as someone to protect.

Lu Qi contracted with The Ancient One to provide her Dark Energy in exchange for protection and dimensional coordinates, then used the system’s ads to gain energy and summon more Ninja Soldiers. After The Ancient One modified his Sling Ring and entered seclusion, Lu Qi returned to the square and had his five Ninja Soldiers overwhelm Mordo in a fight.

• The Ancient One explained that Dormammu had been using her Dark Energy to locate Earth and that she was nearing death, then offered Lu Qi protection and access to Kamar-Taj’s dimensional coordinates in exchange for his energy.
• Lu Qi accepted a contract that let The Ancient One draw his Dark Energy and allowed him to terminate the agreement at the cost of her life; the system also gave him knowledge of portals.
• Lu Qi used the Time Stone to watch ads, gained Dark Energy, and bought Ninja Soldiers, while The Ancient One lent him the Stone and observed that he could not control it.
• The Ancient One modified Lu Qi’s Sling Ring so he could open portals with Dark Energy, then entered seclusion to purge Dormammu’s energy and sent him away.
• Lu Qi returned to the square, summoned five Ninja Soldiers, and made them fight Mordo until their relentless attacks left him exhausted; Lu Qi then found an alarm clock and returned to his room.

Lu Qi left Kamar-Taj for the New York Sanctum and explored Hell's Kitchen, where he watched a gang shootout before encountering the Punisher. After Frank attacked him, Lu Qi used Ninja Soldiers to block the bullets and escaped, continuing into the city.

• Lu Qi learned that his thirty-one Ninja Soldiers supplied Dark Energy quickly enough for the Ancient One to stop suppressing Dormammu's power, and she told him he could leave Kamar-Taj.
• Lu Qi chose a portal at random and arrived at the New York Sanctum, where Daniel explained that magical artifacts chose their own masters.
• Lu Qi explored the Big Apple and reached Hell's Kitchen, where he watched two gangs battle with firearms and a Stark rocket launcher.
• Frank appeared on the rooftop with a sniper rifle, mistook Lu Qi for a Hand ninja, and opened fire.
• Lu Qi's Ninja Soldiers deflected Frank's bullets, and Lu Qi denied working with the Hand before escaping Hell's Kitchen.

Lu Qi used his Ninja Soldiers to rob and massacre Hell's Kitchen gangs, drawing the attention of S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Coulson and Kingpin. He returned to his apartment with a growing hoard, unaware that Kingpin had passed information about the Shadow Army to S.H.I.E.L.D.

• Lu Qi abandoned his search for Stark Tower and decided to make money by targeting Hell's Kitchen gangs with his Ninja Soldiers.
• The Shadow Army killed more than a hundred members of the Blood Hand gang and took its cash while destroying its laundry powder.
• Coulson investigated the scene, concluded that a superpowered person was likely responsible, and was approached by a man offering to identify the killer.
• Kingpin, angered by the Shadow Army's attacks, arranged to have information passed to S.H.I.E.L.D. while seeking the force's identity.
• Lu Qi returned home with his Ninja Soldiers' loot and reflected that he had begun killing gang members after finding abused women and corpses in a gang basement.
• Lu Qi checked his system and saw that he had 70 Ninja Soldiers and 71 Energy Crystals, which he kept in reserve.

Lu Qi obtained a book of Dark Dimension coordinates from The Ancient One and began gathering Ninja Soldiers, while Coulson and Fury investigated him after a clash with S.H.I.E.L.D. The chapter left Lu Qi facing a rocket aimed at his apartment.

• Lu Qi met Pangborn at Kamar-Taj, then received a book of Dark Dimension coordinates from The Ancient One and learned that its crystals could expand his own dimension.
• Lu Qi stored the book in the Shadow World, chose a dimension to mine, sparred with Mordo using seventy-four Ninja Soldiers, and returned home.
• Lu Qi found Coulson playing his game, revealed that the Shadow Army consisted of himself and his Ninja Soldiers, and asked Coulson to arrange identification documents.
• Lu Qi's Ninja Soldiers knocked out the S.H.I.E.L.D. team waiting outside his apartment, and Coulson reported the incident to Fury.
• Fury ordered Coulson to offer Lu Qi a security consultant badge, while Lu Qi amassed nearly ninety Ninja Soldiers and saw a rocket fly toward his window.

Lu Qi retaliated against Kingpin’s men after they destroyed his apartment and treasury, then received a S.H.I.E.L.D. security consultant identity from Coulson. The chapter ended with Fury deciding to keep Lu Qi under observation and potentially recruit him for future help.

• Lu Qi survived a rocket attack by entering Shadow Form, then sent Ninja Soldiers to kill the armed thugs who had attacked his apartment; the leader identified Kingpin before killing himself.
• Lu Qi went to Kingpin’s building, where his Ninja Soldiers defeated armored super-soldiers, killed snipers, and ransacked the building, but Kingpin was not there.
• Coulson gave Lu Qi identification as a S.H.I.E.L.D. security consultant and explained that the position allowed him to receive a salary without joining the agency.
• Lu Qi accepted the consultant booklet, declined formal employment, and left while Coulson returned to report to Fury.
• Fury reviewed Lu Qi’s file, judged him potentially useful, and ordered his dossier classified at level-seven clearance.

Lu Qi registered as a S.H.I.E.L.D. security consultant, enhanced his Ninja Soldiers, and unlocked Blade Soldiers. After testing his abilities at the Triskelion, he was cleared to return to Hell's Kitchen.

• Kingpin watched footage of Lu Qi's strength and ordered Bullseye to recruit him or kill him, then sent Lanco's family to join him.
• Lu Qi used his S.H.I.E.L.D. ID to get a hotel room, enhanced his troops, unlocked Blade Soldiers, and bought three of them.
• Coulson met Lu Qi, brought him to the Triskelion, and asked him to register his abilities for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s records.
• Lu Qi described his summoned Ninja Soldiers while concealing some of their abilities and omitting the Blade Soldiers.
• S.H.I.E.L.D. researchers tested Lu Qi and a Ninja Soldier, confirming the soldier could deflect rifle bullets for nearly five seconds before being killed.
• Coulson completed Lu Qi's photos and registration, then prepared to take him back to Hell's Kitchen.

Lu Qi joined forces with Punisher to attack a shipment belonging to Kingpin, but the port turned out to be a trap. Lu Qi escaped the explosion and led the Shadow Army, with Punisher’s support, into battle against the surrounding forces.

• Punisher offered to team up with Lu Qi to destroy Kingpin’s drug shipment, and Lu Qi agreed.
• Lu Qi and Punisher practiced shooting at a safe house before scouting the port and planning their attack.
• Lu Qi sent Ninja Soldiers into the port, then joined them with Blade Soldiers and entered a warehouse filled with containers.
• Lu Qi sensed danger when the containers were opened and escaped into the Shadow World before an explosion destroyed the port.
• Lu Qi reappeared beside Punisher and sent the Shadow Army against the forces surrounding the port.
• Punisher picked off the armored vehicles’ machine gunners while the Shadow Army closed in and overwhelmed the enemy.

Lu Qi expanded his Ninja Soldier forces, then encountered Bullseye and learned Natasha had been sent to recruit him for S.H.I.E.L.D. The Punisher was on his way to collect Bullseye, while Lu Qi saved Natasha’s number for future missions.

• Lu Qi increased his Ninja Soldiers to 200 and discovered one could play games with exceptional skill, then posted its winning match records online.
• Bullseye sent Lu Qi a threatening note urging him to join Kingpin, but Lu Qi ignored it and asked Coulson for nearby trouble to investigate.
• Lu Qi recognized Natasha Romanoff when he found her pretending to need rescuing, and they joked about her nickname for Fury.
• Natasha revealed she had caught Bullseye after seeing him throw a dart at Lu Qi and explained that Fury had sent her to recruit him.
• Lu Qi photographed Bullseye and sent the picture to The Punisher, then saved Natasha’s number as Natalie while waiting for The Punisher to arrive.

Lu Qi and The Punisher used Bullseye as bait to draw Kingpin out, but Kingpin offered a truce and paid Lu Qi rather than risk a fight. Lu Qi left Bullseye with The Punisher and hurried toward his next priority, only to realize he did not have a bank card for the payment.

• The Punisher took Bullseye to a cabin, where he crippled Bullseye's hands, then agreed with Lu Qi to use him as bait for Kingpin.
• Lu Qi learned that the Annual Pinnacle Person Award would be presented in Las Vegas the next day and told The Punisher he needed to settle matters with Kingpin that night.
• Lu Qi sent Blade Soldiers against a squad in powered exoskeletons and led his ninjas against the armed gangsters attacking the factory.
• Lu Qi destroyed two armored vehicles and helped his Ninja Soldiers defeat their occupants while The Punisher watched the battle.
• Kingpin contacted Lu Qi by radio, offered him five million dollars, and agreed to a truce; Lu Qi accepted and left Bullseye with The Punisher.
• Lu Qi saw Kingpin's text asking for his bank account number and realized he had not applied for a bank card.

Lu Qi traveled to Las Vegas ahead of the Annual Apex Awards Ceremony and met Tony Stark and Happy Hogan at their hotel. After joking with them and taking Tony’s photo, Lu Qi returned to his room and posted his first photography update on his blog.

• Lu Qi received five million dollars from Kingpin, kept his work ID, and flew to Las Vegas to find a hotel near the awards venue.
• Lu Qi bought a digital camera and took photos around Las Vegas, planning to share them on his blog.
• Lu Qi spotted Tony Stark and Happy Hogan at the hotel and took a photo of them.
• Tony posed for Lu Qi’s camera, then teased him about his photography and joked about his blog idea with Happy.
• Lu Qi returned to his room, uploaded photos of Las Vegas, and posted an update titled “Day one of photography.”

Lu Qi enhanced his strength, tested his upgraded Shadow Army, and attended an awards ceremony where he encountered Kingpin speaking with Obadiah. Kingpin asked why Lu Qi was there, and Lu Qi said he had come to photograph the event before returning to play his handheld console.

• Lu Qi spent 5,000 Energy Crystals to upgrade his physical attributes, then summoned ninjas to help him replace a marble tabletop he could no longer lift back into place.
• Lu Qi tested the Shadow Army and later bought more Ninja Soldiers after mining a new Dark Dimension.
• Lu Qi went to the awards ceremony, where Tony invited him to gamble, but Lu Qi declined and entered the venue to take photographs.
• Lu Qi spotted Kingpin talking with Obadiah, sent him a smiling emoji, and followed him onto the balcony to take his picture.
• Kingpin asked Lu Qi why he was there, and Lu Qi explained that he was photographing the awards ceremony for his blog before returning inside.

Lu Qi watched Obadiah accept Tony Stark’s Pinnacle Award, then found Tony gambling at an entertainment center. After Rhodey lost a dice game to Lu Qi, Tony handed him the trophy, leaving Lu Qi with a photo that captured Tony’s carefree life.

• Lu Qi photographed Obadiah at the award ceremony after Tony failed to appear, and Obadiah accepted Tony’s Pinnacle Award.
• Lu Qi slipped away from Kingpin and found Tony gambling with two girls at an entertainment center.
• Tony challenged Lu Qi to a dice game, but Lu Qi rolled only three points and lost the chance to take Tony’s chips.
• Rhodey arrived with Tony’s award, then rolled two points in a dice game and lost thirty million dollars in chips to Lu Qi.
• Tony gave the trophy to one of the girls, then handed it to Lu Qi outside as Lu Qi photographed the moment.
• Lu Qi exchanged the chips for money and decided to keep the photo to tease Tony.

Lu Qi secretly followed Tony from his California mansion to a war zone, where Tony’s convoy was attacked and he was captured by terrorists. Lu Qi followed the captors, leaving Tony’s fate in their hands.

• Lu Qi stowed away on Tony’s private jet, explored his mansion, then returned to New York through a portal.
• The next day, Lu Qi secretly waited aboard Tony’s plane as Rhodey arrived and Tony eventually joined him.
• Lu Qi followed Tony and Rhodey to a war zone, where Tony finished a business deal and rode with soldiers in a Humvee.
• A missile struck the convoy, and attackers killed several soldiers as Tony tried to escape the vehicle.
• A Stark Industries missile exploded beside Tony, knocking him unconscious, and terrorists carried him away as Lu Qi followed them.

Lu Qi watched Tony Stark finish his armor and escape the Ten Rings’ cave, while secretly intervening to save Yinsen. The chapter ended with Lu Qi revealing that Yinsen had faked his death to complete Tony’s transformation.

• Lu Qi visited Tony’s cave after Coulson asked him to help find Stark, and secretly photographed Tony preparing to use his armor.
• The Ten Rings leader realized Tony and Yinsen were building something unexpected and sent men to investigate.
• Tony and Yinsen set off a bomb at the doorway, then Yinsen went out alone to draw the terrorists away while Tony finished the armor.
• Tony put on the armor and found Yinsen lying among the sandbags; after Yinsen pretended to die, Tony charged outside in grief and anger.
• Lu Qi appeared to Yinsen, who got up and admitted through his actions that he had deceived Stark as part of his transformation.

Tony escaped the terrorists in his armor with Lu Qi’s help, then was rescued by Rhodey and Coulson after the valley exploded. Yinsen survived and began working with Lu Qi’s fifty Shadow Ninjas to save people and resist the terrorists.

• Tony fought his way out of the cave, but a terrorist damaged his armor’s leg mechanism and pinned him down.
• Lu Qi and his ninjas killed the surrounding terrorists, freed Tony from his armor, and carried him away from the cave before the explosives detonated.
• Lu Qi called Coulson for rescue and hamburgers, and Rhodey and Coulson arrived by aircraft to collect Tony.
• The valley exploded as Tony prepared to ask Rhodey to retrieve Yinsen, and Tony joked about selling hamburgers.
• Yinsen, who had survived, accepted Lu Qi’s fifty Shadow Ninjas and resolved to help save people and resist the terrorists.

On the transport plane, Tony questioned Lu Qi about his suspiciously timely rescue and learned that his father had helped found the organization that became S.H.I.E.L.D. Tony apologized, then he and Lu Qi eased the tension by talking about the Shadow Ninjas and Tony’s memories of his father.

• Tony asked Lu Qi when he had found him, and Lu Qi said he had arrived just before Tony escaped.
• Lu Qi explained S.H.I.E.L.D.’s origins and revealed that Howard Stark had helped found its predecessor, the Strategic Scientific Reserve.
• Lu Qi said S.H.I.E.L.D. had mobilized to find Howard’s son and showed Tony the Shadow Ninjas who had helped rescue him.
• Lu Qi described himself as a traveler who had joined S.H.I.E.L.D. and said his timing at Tony’s capture had been coincidental.
• Tony apologized to Lu Qi, and Lu Qi accepted after recalling the thirty million dollars Tony had given him.
• Lu Qi summoned another hammock for Tony, and they discussed the Shadow World, the ninjas, and Tony’s childhood view of Howard.

Tony returned to Big Apple after three months in captivity, reunited with Pepper, and announced that Stark Industries would shut down its weapons division. Lu Qi left the press conference to post photos of Tony’s return, then headed to the Triskelion to meet Fury.

• Lu Qi and the Shadow Ninjas brought Tony to Pepper and Happy, and Tony asked Pepper to arrange a press conference and bring him cheeseburgers.
• Tony, Pepper, Happy, and Lu Qi arrived at Stark Industries, where Obadiah greeted Tony and Lu Qi wondered how to expose him as the real culprit.
• Lu Qi examined Stark Industries’ improved particle accelerator and met Coulson, who said Fury was waiting for his report.
• Tony announced that he was shutting down Stark Industries’ weapons division, and Pepper led him away from the reporters.
• Lu Qi left the press conference, posted photos of Tony’s return on his blog, and went to the Triskelion, where S.H.I.E.L.D. sent an agent to pick him up.

Lu Qi bluffed his way past Egghead, then strengthened himself through the Mining System. While mining a new Micro Dimension, he discovered it was connected to his Shadow Dimension and faced an invading army led by another Dimension Lord.

• Egghead revealed himself after posing as Fury and questioned Lu Qi, who claimed that he had returned from space and knew Carol Danvers; Egghead believed him and let him go.
• Lu Qi bought enough Ninja Soldiers to reach five hundred, then spent 100,000 Energy to enhance himself, doubling his physical abilities, mining speed, and recovery speed.
• Lu Qi entered a new Micro Dimension and discovered that enemies inside it were draining Energy through a connection to his Shadow Dimension.
• Lu Qi sent Shadow Ninjas through the crack to attack the creatures, but a powerful Dimension Lord countered and summoned tens of thousands of fighters.
• Lu Qi withdrew and rallied his Shadow Ninjas into a defensive line, preparing to face the much larger invading force.

Lu Qi discovered he could command Dark Energy directly and declared himself the Shadow Lord, disrupting Andrews's control over it. After Andrews sealed Lu Qi's connection to the Shadow Dimension, Lu Qi realized his own body supplied its energy and prepared to face him, but Andrews fled toward the rift before a yellow figure appeared beside Lu Qi.

• Lu Qi sent Blade Soldiers into battle, merged Shadow Ninjas to create more of them, and pushed back the enemy forces.
• Lu Qi realized he could control Dark Energy directly, declared himself the Shadow Lord, and made Dark Energy reject Andrews.
• Andrews used a forbidden art to seal Lu Qi's connection to the Dark Dimension, while Lu Qi discovered that his body supplied the dimension with energy.
• Lu Qi used the Dark Energy stored in his body to block Andrews's magic and confronted him as his energy rapidly recovered.
• Andrews fled toward the spatial rift, and a yellow figure appeared beside Lu Qi and demanded all his energy.

The Ancient One rescued Lu Qi from Andrews and helped him recover his connection to the Shadow World, where he spent five days wearing down a seal. Back in the Material World, Lu Qi joined Tony to confront Obadiah, and his Shadow Ninjas and Dark Energy helped bring Iron Monger under control.

• The Ancient One killed Andrews in the Mirror Dimension, then warned Lu Qi to maintain her energy supply and gave him coordinates for several ownerless Dark Dimensions.
• Lu Qi ordered the Shadow Ninjas to clear the enemy world and spent five days wearing down the seal before restoring his connection to the Shadow World.
• Tony called Lu Qi after Obadiah took his Arc Reactor, and a Shadow Ninja retrieved and installed Tony's Heart so Tony could recover.
• Tony, Lu Qi, and Rhodey used a portal to reach Potts and Coulson, where Obadiah appeared in Iron Monger and attacked them.
• Lu Qi's Shadow Ninjas and Blade Soldiers pinned Iron Monger down, but Obadiah flew beyond their range, so Lu Qi hid in Tony's armor and transferred onto Iron Monger.
• Lu Qi cut into Iron Monger's armor and sent a Shadow Ninja inside to hold a blade to Obadiah's throat, forcing him to land as Tony followed.

Lu Qi and Tony handed Obadiah and the damaged Iron Monger armor over to S.H.I.E.L.D., while Tony kept the arc reactor and reaffirmed that Stark Industries would stop selling weapons. At Tony’s press conference, he revealed that he was Iron Man and introduced Lu Qi as the superhero Shadow Lord.

• Obadiah walked out of Iron Monger under a Ninja Soldier’s guard, and Tony agreed to let Coulson’s agents take him and the armor after removing its arc reactor.
• Tony told Rhodey that Stark Industries would no longer sell weapons and planned to focus on clean energy, while Lu Qi joked that Tony could still sell hamburgers.
• Lu Qi arrived at Tony’s press conference and photographed him as he denied involvement in the previous night’s events.
• Tony declared, “I am Iron Man,” and the reporters surged forward to question him.
• Tony introduced Lu Qi to the press as the superhero Shadow Lord before leaving with his bodyguards.

Lu Qi tested Tony Stark’s new jet boots in a race, then suggested a multifunction smartphone to help Tony earn money as Stark Industries struggled. Their conversation was interrupted when Egghead appeared behind them.

• Lu Qi reviewed his Shadow Legion forces and planned to expand and strengthen them after mining the remaining Tiny Dimensions.
• Tony gave Lu Qi wristbands that deployed jet boots, and the two set off to race along a route planned by JARVIS.
• Lu Qi used Dark Energy to overcome Tony’s speed and then slowed down, allowing Tony to win the race.
• At a burger joint, Lu Qi accepted thanks from people he had helped during the Stark Industries attack, and Tony offered the crowd free cheeseburgers.
• Tony told Lu Qi that Stark Industries’ stock remained far below its former value, so Lu Qi suggested developing a full-screen smartphone with many features and a voice assistant.
• Egghead appeared behind Lu Qi and Tony as they talked on a rooftop.

Lu Qi told Fury about a possible Hulk sighting and an energy source in Antarctica, then returned to gathering resources and sought new dimension coordinates from The Ancient One. After arranging for mages to help defend his Shadow World in exchange for Dark Energy, he entered the expanded dimension to prepare for an expedition.

• Fury asked Lu Qi about Bruce Banner, and Lu Qi pointed him toward a beverage factory in Brazil and an energy source in Antarctica while refusing further intelligence work.
• Tony questioned Lu Qi about the alien technology, and Lu Qi admitted he had lied to Fury but avoided discussing Tony’s health.
• Lu Qi exhausted his known excavation coordinates and returned to Kamar-Taj, where Mordo delivered The Ancient One’s booklet and explained that Lu Qi would need to locate the Dark Dimension himself.
• Mordo tested Dark Energy consumption with Lu Qi, who signed contracts with elite mages and established a portal between Kamar-Taj and his Shadow World.
• Lu Qi entered the expanded Shadow World, selected a target dimension from the booklet, and called Mordo and the mages to inspect it.