Chapter Summaries

Sifa studied the requirements for advancing to Sequence 3 and planned to gather war records, ingredients, and a chance to take part in a large-scale battle. He also decided to strengthen the Scaled Folk with firearms and training, then bought weapons and ammunition in Cookawa City.

• Sifa reviewed the Sequence 3 potion ingredients and ritual, deciding to request war records from Black Sails and search for the remaining ingredients and a suitable battle.
• Sifa planned to equip the Scaled Folk with firearms and Demon-Hunting Bullets and have Amyrius's projection train them.
• Sifa saw soldiers heading toward Resurrection Square, which remained sealed off after the earlier battle.
• After nightfall, Sifa went to the Camphor Tree Bar with Kardashian's projection and Mr. X to find a firearms seller.
• Sifa bought ten revolvers, ten rifles, and a thousand rounds of ammunition from Natt Karpus for eighty pounds.

Chapter Summary: “Divine Revelation?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sifa completes a large trade with Natt Karpus, paying a 20-pound deposit. The goods will be delivered the following night.
• After returning to the inn, Sifa falls asleep and experiences a vivid, supernatural dream.
• In the dream, he witnesses a violent storm at sea and a gigantic armored figure standing on the waves. The figure carries a trident and a lightning spear resembling Sifa’s Calamity Spear.
• A voice repeatedly praises the name “Leodero.” Sifa realizes this may be the true name of the Lord of Storms and suspects the dream is a divine revelation.
• Sifa theorizes that the Lord of Storms may be indicating that he wants the Calamity Spear sacrificed to Him. However, Sifa decides not to act immediately, recognizing that this is only an interpretation and that he needs advice and preparation.
• In Backlund, Red Gloves leader and senior deacon Chrestet Cecimir arrives at Saint Samuel Church. He informs Archbishop Saint Anthony that Lady Arianna, head of the Evernight Cloister, will soon come to Backlund as well. Their preparations are connected to the threat posed by Ince Zangwill.
• Above the Gray Fog, Klein officially brings Leonard into the Tarot Club. He deliberately arranges the Tarot cards so Leonard receives the “Star” card.
• Klein confirms that Pallez Zoroast’s parasitism of Leonard remains limited and carefully avoids exposing Pallez directly by summoning only Leonard’s Astral Body.
• Klein also determines that Danitz is ready to advance on the Hunter Pathway. He sends Danitz the Conspirer potion formula and orders him to leave the Southern Continent and return to the Golden Dream.
• Danitz receives the formula and ingredients list, including Hunting Black Spider’s Compound Eyes, a Human-Faced Lion brain and blood, Dark Flower powder, a Whisperer’s Gland, and Shadow Lizard scales.
• That evening, Sifa heads to the Camphor Tree Bar to seek guidance from a bishop of the Church of Storms about his dream and the possible meaning of the Calamity Spear.

Character Developments

• Sifa: Becomes increasingly aware that the Calamity Spear may be connected to the Lord of Storms. Although excited and alarmed by the possible revelation, he demonstrates caution and practical judgment by refusing to sacrifice the weapon without confirmation and preparation.
• Klein: Continues carefully managing the Tarot Club and protecting Leonard from Pallez’s influence. He also acts as Danitz’s hidden mentor, recognizing that Danitz has completed his current advancement requirements.
• Leonard: Officially joins the Tarot Club as the “Star.” His inclusion gives him access to greater resources and opportunities to strengthen himself against Pallez’s parasitism.
• Danitz: Has fully digested his current Hunter and Provoker potions and is now prepared to advance to Sequence 6, the Conspirer pathway.
• Chrestet Cecimir and Saint Anthony: Their conversation establishes that the Church of Evernight is escalating its response to Ince Zangwill, with major figures being sent to Backlund.
• Lady Arianna: Though not yet present, her impending arrival emphasizes her immense authority and importance within the Church of Evernight.

Significant Themes

• Divine revelation and uncertainty: Sifa must distinguish between an authentic message from a god and his own interpretation of symbolic imagery.
• The danger of true names: Sifa instinctively avoids completing the name “Leodero,” understanding that a god’s true name may carry supernatural risks.
• Power and preparation: The chapter repeatedly stresses that advancement—whether sacrificing a powerful artifact, joining the Tarot Club, or consuming a new potion—requires caution and proper preparation.
• Hidden influence and protection: Klein’s handling of Leonard shows the importance of concealing information and shielding allies from dangerous entities.
• Escalating conflict: The arrival of powerful Evernight figures in Backlund signals that the struggle involving Ince Zangwill is becoming increasingly serious.

Important Character Interactions

• Sifa and Natt Karpus: Their trade concludes with Sifa paying a deposit while awaiting delivery of the goods.
• The Lord of Storms and Sifa: Their interaction occurs indirectly through the storm vision, in which the divine figure may be directing Sifa to sacrifice the Calamity Spear.
• Cecimir and Saint Anthony: Cecimir informs the archbishop about Lady Arianna’s arrival and the Church’s continued efforts against Ince Zangwill.
• Klein and Leonard: Klein brings Leonard into the Tarot Club while deliberately limiting the risk of disturbing Pallez.
• Klein and Danitz: Klein provides Danitz with the Conspirer formula and instructs him to return to the Golden Dream so he can pursue his advancement.
• Sifa and the Church of Storms: Sifa intends to consult a bishop, hoping to verify the meaning of his dream before taking action.

Chapter Summary: “Camphor Tree Bar”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sifa meets Natt Karpus at the Camphor Tree Bar to inspect and purchase a shipment of firearms and ammunition.
• Karpus attempts to betray Sifa by arranging an ambush and planning to kidnap him for additional money. However, Sifa detects the hidden gunmen.
• The ambushers, secretly hypnotized by Kardashian, turn their weapons on Karpus and his associates instead. Sifa and Mr. X escape with the two suitcases of weapons after Mr. X uses a Flash.
• The following day, Sifa summons Miss Viri and travels with her through the Spirit World toward the Scaled Folk Archipelago.
• Sifa asks Viri about the Sequence 4 Cataclysmic Interrer advancement ritual. He learns that the ritual requires surviving an earthquake and tsunami while taking the potion.
• Viri explains that she once used a special catastrophe-producing item to meet the ritual’s requirements, but the item was destroyed. Sifa initially believes he needs a similar artifact because he can only produce a tsunami.
• Viri points out that, as an existing Sequence 4 Beyonder, she can create the necessary earthquakes and tsunamis herself—even indirectly from the Spirit World. This resolves the main obstacle to Merinda’s advancement.
• Sifa reaches Watercloud Village with Kardashian’s projection and Mr. X. He presents the Scaled Folk with revolvers and Demon-Hunting Bullets, demonstrating their destructive power by shooting a tree.
• He promises to obtain more firearms and train the Scaled Folk so ordinary villagers can defend themselves against monsters.
• The Scaled Folk enthusiastically praise Sifa as their “savior.” Merinda then privately informs him that an unknown guest arrived on the island the previous day.

Character Developments

• Sifa: Demonstrates caution, perceptiveness, and confidence by recognizing Karpus’s betrayal before it occurs. He also continues acting as a protector and organizer for the Scaled Folk, seeking both their advancement and practical means of defense.
• Natt Karpus: Reveals himself to be greedy and treacherous. His scheme backfires completely, leaving him injured, humiliated, and deprived of the weapons.
• Kardashian: Shows her usefulness through mass hypnosis, covertly turning Karpus’s own guards against him.
• Mr. X: Assists Sifa’s escape by using a Flash to blind the attackers and facilitate their disappearance.
• Miss Viri: Provides the crucial insight that she herself can fulfill the environmental conditions of the Sequence 4 ritual. Her knowledge makes Merinda’s advancement realistically possible.
• Merinda: Continues to serve as the Scaled Folk’s elder and appears increasingly prepared to pursue Sequence 4 advancement. Her final warning introduces a new mystery.

Significant Themes

• Trust and betrayal: Karpus’s attempt to exploit Sifa contrasts with Sifa’s careful preparation and awareness of deception.
• Power and technology: Firearms represent a major shift in the Scaled Folk’s ability to protect themselves, especially when combined with Demon-Hunting Bullets.
• Protection and responsibility: Sifa does not merely save the Scaled Folk temporarily; he works to equip and empower them for future survival.
• Insight and overlooked possibilities: Sifa initially searches for an external artifact but realizes that Viri’s existing abilities already solve the ritual problem, emphasizing the danger of overlooking obvious resources.
• Civilization and adaptation: Human weapons are introduced to the isolated Scaled Folk, symbolizing the spread of knowledge and technology across cultures.

Important Character Interactions

• Sifa confronts Karpus’s attempted ambush indirectly, allowing the hypnotized gunmen to neutralize Karpus’s group.
• Sifa questions Viri about her advancement ritual, and their discussion unexpectedly resolves the obstacle to Merinda’s promotion.
• Sifa demonstrates firearms to the Scaled Folk, transforming their admiration for him into renewed hope and confidence.
• Merinda’s final revelation about the mysterious guest establishes the chapter’s next major plot thread.

Chapter Summary: “Demi-Humans” (Alliance Leader Bonus Chapter 8)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Merinda introduces Sifa to Lina, a visitor from another island whose people are suffering a catastrophe similar to the one that devastated the Scaled Folk.
• Sifa meets Lina, a Snake-Haired Folk creature with blue-tinted skin, sea-like features, and living hair that ends in venomous mouths.
• When Lina probes Sifa with her snake-like hair, he responds by briefly revealing part of his incomplete Mythical Creature Form. The display overwhelms Lina and nearly causes her to lose control.
• Terrified, Lina apologizes and explains that her people are known as the Snake-Haired Folk, one of many races collectively called Demi-Humans.
• Lina describes the history and geography of the surrounding seas:
  • Her people live on Blue Tree Island.
  • The eastern “Dark Corridor” contains hostile creatures and Demi-Humans that repeatedly invade their homeland.
  • Dragon Turtle Island lies to the west and is inhabited by relatively friendly groups such as the Winged Folk and Gray Dwarves.
  • The southern sea may lead to a distant land containing many Demi-Humans and Beyonder creatures, though an expedition sent there never returned.
  • The north was previously blocked by a powerful Beyonder creature, which has recently disappeared.
• Lina reveals that Blue Tree Island is now under attack by unknown monsters, which have destroyed its defenses and allowed the Dark Corridor’s enemies to invade.
• She had been traveling to Dragon Turtle Island to seek aid but instead reached the Scaled Folk and learned of Sifa’s power.
• Lina asks Sifa to save the Snake-Haired Folk, offering their service, resources, materials, and warriors in return.

Character Developments

• Sifa: Demonstrates overwhelming power and divine authority. His brief revelation of his Mythical Creature Form establishes him as a frightening, godlike figure to other Demi-Humans. He also becomes interested in the broader geography, races, and unexplored regions of the sea.
• Lina: Initially confident enough to investigate Sifa, she becomes deeply fearful and submissive after witnessing his power. Despite her fear, she proves knowledgeable, politically minded, and devoted to preserving her people.
• Merinda: Her respect and fear of Sifa increase after seeing how easily he overwhelms Lina. She becomes even more cautious about questioning or underestimating him.
• The Scaled Folk: Begin receiving practical military assistance as Sifa’s projections teach them to use firearms, strengthening their alliance with him.

Significant Themes

• Power and submission: Sifa’s divine presence immediately establishes a hierarchy, forcing Lina to recognize the vast difference between their strengths.
• Survival and alliance-building: The Demi-Human races are scattered and threatened by monsters, invasions, and lost records, making cooperation essential.
• Lost history and fragmented peoples: Lina explains that many ancient races and traditions disappeared during a great migration, highlighting the decline from the ancient world.
• Exploration and mystery: The surrounding islands, unknown southern continent, vanished expeditions, and dangerous creatures suggest a much larger unexplored world.
• Protection in exchange for loyalty: Lina offers the Snake-Haired Folk’s allegiance and resources if Sifa will save them, reinforcing the chapter’s focus on forming a broader alliance.

Character Interactions

• Sifa and Merinda: Merinda guides Sifa to Lina and presents her as a potential ally. She remains respectful and wary of Sifa.
• Sifa and Lina: Their first meeting is tense. Lina investigates him, Sifa retaliates with a terrifying divine display, and she immediately submits. Their interaction then shifts into an interrogation, with Sifa asking about Demi-Human races and the surrounding seas.
• Lina and Merinda: Lina recognizes the Scaled Folk as a previously unknown neighboring Demi-Human race, revealing how isolated and disconnected the various peoples have become.
• Lina and Sifa’s alliance: Lina concludes by formally requesting Sifa’s aid and offering the Snake-Haired Folk’s service, setting up a possible expansion of Sifa’s alliance.

Sifa and his allies rescued the Snake-Haired Folk from the Half-Beasts and cleared the monsters from Blue Tree Island, earning the tribe’s trust. The Snake-Haired Folk revealed that the invaders had stolen the Mirror of Despair, a powerful mystical item, and Sifa learned why they had been unable to protect it.

• Sifa, Kardashian, Mr. X, and Lina arrived on Blue Tree Island and found the Snake-Haired Folk fighting Half-Beasts at the temple mountain.
• Sifa summoned his army and led a coordinated assault with Kardashian, Mr. X, and Amyrius, routing the Half-Beasts and driving them back into the Dark Corridor.
• Sifa and his forces swept the island, eliminating the supernatural monsters that had breached its eastern defenses.
• The Snake-Haired Folk welcomed Sifa as their savior after he helped defend their homeland.
• The chief elder told Sifa that the Half-Beasts had stolen the Mirror of Despair, which could inflict random afflictions on its reflections and revive its holder at a steep price.

Sifa helped the Scaled Folk and Snake-Haired Folk build strength for a future assault on the Dark Corridor, while growing suspicious that Adam had influenced his actions during the battle at Resurrection Square. At the Tarot Club, Klein revealed to Sifa that he was Gehrman Sparrow.

• Sifa arranged for the Scaled Folk and Snake-Haired Folk to exchange resources and train together, intending to form an army to attack the Dark Corridor and fulfill his Sequence 3 ritual.
• Sifa realized he should have sensed the Red Priest Card's attraction during the battle at Resurrection Square and suspected Adam had manipulated him; Kardashian found no detectable hypnosis or suggestion.
• Paroni delivered records of Southern Continent wars and invited Sifa to observe a possible arms deal connected to the rebels, and Sifa began studying the records.
• Sifa was summoned to the gray fog before the Tarot Club gathering and saw Klein Moretti sitting in the seat previously occupied by the World.
• Klein told Sifa that he was Gehrman Sparrow.

Sifa met Klein before the Tarot Club gathering, where Klein explained his identity and warned him to beware of Spectators. The gathering welcomed two new members, The Star and Judgement, and Sifa recognized The Star as a man who had fought at Resurrection Square.

• Klein told Sifa that he was The World and Gehrman Sparrow, recounted his death and return, and warned him to beware of Spectators.
• The Tarot Club gathering began with two new members: The Star and Judgement.
• Sifa recognized Judgement as Fors's roommate Xio and wondered if The Star was one of Klein's former colleagues.
• Klein introduced the newcomers, and Leonard, The Star, sized up the other Tarot Club members.

Chapter Summary: “Clearance Sale”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xio Derecha, using her Sheriff abilities, observes the Tarot Club members and memorizes their distinguishing traits. She identifies Chariot (Sifa) and World as the most oppressive and potentially powerful members, though their strengths seem different.
• After confirming that no one has obtained pages from Roselle’s Diary, the Fool, Klein, begins the trading session.
• Sifa announces that he wants to purchase a large supply of weapons for an expedition to a supposedly newly discovered Primitive Island filled with Beyonder creatures:
  • At least 2,000 rifles
  • Around 50,000 regular bullets
  • As many Demon-Hunting Bullets as possible
• The request shocks the other members, who suspect Sifa may intend to conquer or destroy the island rather than simply explore it.
• Hanged Man Alger offers 200 rifles and 10,000 bullets for 1,000 pounds. After bargaining, they settle on 900 pounds.
• Hermit Cattleya offers 100 rifles and 2,000 Demon-Hunting Bullets for 600 pounds and agrees to consider supplying more ammunition in the future.
• Klein, through the identity of World, says he will investigate possible sources for additional weapons. He knows that large quantities of surplus Loen weapons are sold through Southern Continent channels and intends to acquire some himself.
• Sifa then distributes a list of his recent gains: numerous Beyonder materials suitable for Sequence 9–7 potions, including rare blood, plant, animal, and monster materials.
• The scale of Sifa’s collection astonishes the group. He explains that these are only his initial gains from the Primitive Island.
• He further reveals that he possesses several Wraith, Zombie, and Werewolf Beyonder Characteristics, creating another stunned silence.

Character Developments

• Sifa/Chariot is established as a wealthy, well-prepared, and highly capable adventurer with access to enormous resources. His casual presentation of weapons and Beyonder materials increases the mystery surrounding his true activities and the scale of his expedition.
• Xio/Judgment demonstrates her observational and analytical abilities, carefully profiling the other Tarot Club members and recognizing Chariot and World as especially dangerous.
• Klein/The Fool continues using the gathering to support his Southern Continent plans. His World identity may supply Sifa with weapons, while his Dwayne Dantès identity is already connected to a larger arms transaction.
• Alger/Hanged Man shows practical initiative by responding quickly to Sifa’s request, though he must account for the risks and limited availability of the goods.
• Cattleya/Hermit reveals access to specialized ammunition and becomes a valuable potential supplier to Sifa.
• Audrey/Justice, Fors/Magician, and Leonard/Star all display curiosity and surprise, especially at the scale of Sifa’s resources. Leonard directly questions him about the origin of the materials.

Significant Themes

• Power and hidden identities: The members continue to assess one another indirectly, judging strength and danger from behavior rather than openly revealing their abilities.
• Wealth and influence: The gathering functions increasingly like a powerful commercial network. Money, resources, and connections allow members to obtain weapons, rare materials, and Beyonder-related goods.
• Preparation and escalation: Sifa’s arms purchase suggests an impending large-scale confrontation or expedition, while the vast materials and Beyonder Characteristics imply that the Primitive Island may contain far greater dangers and opportunities than expected.
• Trust and controlled disclosure: Sifa gives the group useful information but remains vague about the island and his true objectives. His claims invite speculation without exposing his secrets.
• The growing strength of the Tarot Club: The members’ ability to arrange major transactions and exchange rare supernatural resources demonstrates how much the organization has expanded in capability and influence.

Character Interactions

• Xio silently evaluates the members, particularly comparing Chariot and World.
• Audrey politely asks Sifa about his purpose, while Alger immediately focuses on the practical details of fulfilling the order.
• Sifa negotiates with Alger but accepts Cattleya’s offer without bargaining, valuing the scarce Demon-Hunting Bullets.
• Klein, through World, positions himself as a possible future supplier.
• Leonard questions Sifa about his extraordinary stockpile, prompting Sifa to attribute it to his exploration of the Primitive Island.
• The entire group reacts with growing amazement—and likely suspicion—as Sifa reveals that the listed materials are only his initial harvest and that he also possesses several powerful Beyonder Characteristics.

At the Tarot Club gathering, Sifa sought rare materials for his next advancement, while Fors asked for help commissioning a Mystical Item and Leonard made his first request. The chapter ended with Alger estimating that Leonard's desired Sequence 5 item would cost more than 12,000 pounds.

• Cattleya and Audrey bought batches of materials, and Sifa asked the members for leads on a War Puppet's Hot Core Heart and Crimson Demon Wolf fangs.
• Alger said War Puppets had once been punished by the Lord of Storms and might now be extinct, prompting Sifa to consider seeking their materials from the Church of Storms.
• Fors asked for help commissioning a Mystical Item, and Cattleya said she might find someone to help within a week or two after the Artisan was taken over by Rose School members who worshipped the Primordial Moon.
• Gehrman Sparrow and Sifa offered to help Cattleya with the Rose School, and she said she would contact them through Mr. Fool if she needed assistance.
• Leonard asked for an offensive Mystical Item that could be used discreetly and had minor negative effects, and Alger estimated that a suitable Sequence 5 item would cost more than 12,000 pounds.

At the Tarot Club gathering, Sifa offered Fallen Whisper to Leonard, and Derrick reported that the City of Silver planned to explore the Giant King's Court. Derrick then described an eerie expedition to Nois City, where the explorers withdrew after encountering silent figures living out a strange daily life.

• Sifa offered Leonard the Sequence 6 revolver Fallen Whisper for 7,000 pounds, and Leonard said he would consider buying it.
• Derrick told the Tarot Club that the City of Silver would soon begin a preliminary exploration of the Giant King's Court and had obtained the ingredients for Light Priest from Mr. World.
• The Chariot and Alger explained that Derrick's Chief wanted him to grow stronger and become an asset before the expedition.
• Derrick recounted how the City of Silver's expedition reached Nois, a city near the realm of Flegrea, the King of Wolves.
• The expedition encountered soundless figures going about their daily lives in Nois City, withdrew under the Chief's orders, and returned to the City of Silver.

At the Tarot Club, Sifa and the others learned that Adam had killed Ince Zangwill to obtain 0-08 and advance his path to godhood. Back in Cookawa City, Sifa sought clues about the Crimson Demon Wolf and learned that Caven had finished digesting his Faceless potion, leaving him to arrange Caven’s advancement.

• Alger told the Tarot Club that Ince Zangwill had been killed in West Balam and that the Church of Evernight had cleared the battlefield.
• The World revealed that Adam was a King of Angels who had obtained 0-08, and that Medici’s lingering spirit had merged with the remnant souls of the Sauron and Einhorn families.
• Leonard returned to reality, resolved to grow stronger, and told an aged voice that Amon’s brother had appeared during the revenge against Ince Zangwill.
• Sifa wrote to Oswald and Edwina asking for clues about the Crimson Demon Wolf, while deciding to distance himself from the Iron and Blood Cross Order.
• Sifa received Caven’s letter saying he had finished digesting the Faceless potion and began writing to Cattleya about taking Caven to find mermaids.

Sifa discovered that Dwayne Dantès was negotiating an arms deal with the warlord Meysans, then uncovered a slave operation connected to Admiral Tracy. He planned to tell Alfred about the slaves and judge the Loen Military’s response before deciding whether to intervene.

• Sifa watched Dwayne Dantès meet Haggis at a warehouse, where Alfred identified the meeting as an arms deal with Meysans.
• Sifa followed two men who had recaptured an escaped woman and found a basement where enslaved locals were held in cages.
• Sifa saw Dulles arrive with zombie-like men and threaten the guards, then heard him say the slaves would be sold to Admiral Tracy.
• Sifa decided to inform Alfred about the slave operation and disrupt it himself if Alfred took no action.

Sifa sought the Lord of Storms’ protection by sacrificing the Calamity Spear, and the ritual returned the War Puppet’s Hot Core Heart and rune armor plates. He was left with the mysterious components he had been trying to find.

• Sifa wrote Alfred about his discovery, then traveled to Bayam with Kardashian and Mr. X.
• Sifa asked Bishop Jorgi to arrange a sacrifice to the Lord of Storms and wrote down the name Leodero.
• Jorgi summoned Archbishop Jahn Kottman, who agreed to preside over Sifa’s ritual.
• Sifa offered the Calamity Spear at a coastal altar, and a door of wind and lightning opened to receive it.
• The ritual produced a mechanical-organic heart and armor plates that Sifa recognized as the War Puppet’s Hot Core Heart and rune armor.

Chapter Summary: Traces of the Demon Wolf

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sifa’s offering ritual to the Lord of Storms concludes successfully. The Lord accepts his sacrifice and grants him the two Sequence 4 advancement materials he needs for Merinda and the Snake-Haired Folk elder.
• Archbishop Jahn Kottman gives Sifa the bestowed items and warns him to keep the Lord’s true name secret, avoid speculating about the Lord’s intentions, and rely on further contributions rather than assumptions.
• Sifa asks Kottman whether the Church of Storms can provide two additional Sequence 4 materials. Kottman directs him to the Church of Waves, where Bishop Jorgi will handle the transaction.
• At the Church of Waves, Sifa meets Jorgi and Cordova Royer, captain of Bayam’s Mandated Punishers. The requested materials have already been prepared.
• Although Sifa brings 30,000 Gold Pounds, Jorgi accepts the money as full payment, describing the reduced price as a blessing from the Lord of Storms. This confirms that Sifa has gained special recognition from the Church.
• Sifa returns to Cookawa City and stores the materials in the Spirit World Treasure Chest, ensuring they will be available when Merinda and the Snake-Haired Folk elder complete digestion of their potions and attempt advancement.
• Oswald sends a letter explaining that his association lacks Crimson Demon Wolf materials, but his research confirms that Crimson Demon Wolves exist somewhere in the Spirit World.
• Sifa realizes that obtaining the Crimson Demon Wolf’s fangs and blood would nearly complete the materials required for his War Puppet and Rune Armor project.
• After learning that the Hanged Man and the Hermit’s firearms are ready for exchange, Sifa chooses to travel through the Spirit World with Miss Viri, Kardashian’s projection, and Mr. X. He plans to collect the firearms and investigate the Crimson Demon Wolf at the same time.
• Miss Viri reveals that she has encountered two Crimson Demon Wolves in the Spirit World, providing Sifa with a potentially crucial lead.

Character Developments

• Sifa: His status rises significantly after receiving the Lord of Storms’ direct acknowledgment. He becomes more confident in dealing with the Church of Storms and is treated almost like an ally or favored associate. He also continues advancing his long-term plans for strengthening his subordinates and completing his War Puppet.
• Jahn Kottman: Though stern and cautious, he accepts Sifa as someone recognized by the Lord of Storms. His repeated warnings emphasize his devotion and concern for preserving the Lord’s secrecy.
• Jorgi: Initially skeptical that a nonbeliever could be favored by the Lord, he changes his attitude after witnessing the Lord’s response and follows Kottman’s warning not to question divine intentions.
• Merinda and the Snake-Haired Folk elder: Their future advancement to Demigod is made possible by the materials Sifa acquires.
• Miss Viri: She becomes an important source of information about the Spirit World and the elusive Crimson Demon Wolves.

Significant Themes

• Divine favor and recognition: The Lord of Storms’ acceptance of Sifa’s offering grants him practical benefits and increased standing, even though he is not a conventional believer.
• Faith versus speculation: The Church repeatedly stresses obedience and contribution over attempting to understand or question the intentions of a powerful deity.
• Reciprocity and alliances: Sifa’s sacrifices and cooperation earn him assistance from the Church, demonstrating how supernatural and political relationships are built through mutual benefit.
• Preparation and long-term planning: Sifa methodically gathers resources for his companions’ advancement and his own artifact-related objectives.
• The unknown Spirit World: The discovery that Crimson Demon Wolves inhabit the Spirit World expands Sifa’s search while emphasizing the realm’s danger and mystery.

Important Character Interactions

• Sifa and Kottman establish a more trusting relationship after the successful ritual, with Kottman both rewarding Sifa and warning him about the Lord’s true name.
• Jorgi and Kottman discuss Sifa’s divine recognition, with Jorgi’s doubt being firmly rebuked.
• Sifa negotiates with Jorgi and Cordova for the Sequence 4 materials and receives them at a highly favorable price.
• Sifa consults Oswald through correspondence about the Crimson Demon Wolf, gaining confirmation that the creature exists in the Spirit World.
• Sifa then turns to Miss Viri for further information, and her claim to have seen two Crimson Demon Wolves creates the chapter’s main lead for the next stage of his search.

Sifa brought rifles and ammunition to the Scaled Folk, promised to lead them against the Dark Corridor, and prepared Sequence 4 materials for their elders. His growing support drew representatives of the Gray Dwarves and Winged Folk to him, and they eagerly awaited what he would offer their peoples.

• Miss Viri offered to search for the Crimson Demon Wolves and ask her Spirit World friends for clues.
• Sifa arrived at Cloudwater Village with Kardashian and Mr. X, greeted the Scaled Folk elders, and learned that villagers were practicing with their limited supply of guns.
• Sifa performed a bestowal ritual that delivered three hundred rifles, ordinary ammunition, and Demon-Hunting Bullets, then ordered the weapons registered and reserved the special bullets for combat.
• Sifa promised the Demi-Humans he would lead an attack on the Dark Corridor once they were trained, and told Merinda he had obtained her Sequence 4 materials.
• Sifa met Gray Dwarf and Winged Folk representatives who had become convinced of his power and watched him with eager interest.

Sifa returned to Cookawa City, arranged trade and military training agreements with the Gray Dwarves and Winged Folk, and joined Alfred’s operation to rescue enslaved natives. As the slave traders resisted the raid, an armored figure appeared aboard one of the boats.

• Sifa secured agreements with the Gray Dwarves and Winged Folk, then wrote to Oswald and the Church of Storms to arrange sales channels for Beyonder materials.
• Sifa learned that Alfred planned to raid a slave deal involving Tracy and reasoned that disrupting the Demoness Sect’s trade might help him reach the Sequence 1 Red Priest characteristic.
• Sifa asked the Watchers for information about Tracy and prepared to join Alfred’s operation.
• Sifa and Alfred watched the slave transfer from an ambush, but the ship was not Tracy’s flagship, so Alfred chose to prioritize rescuing the slaves.
• When Alfred ordered the slave traders to surrender, Dulles and his men opened fire and used the slaves as shields while trying to escape.
• An imposing figure in silvery-white armor appeared reflected in a man’s eyes aboard one of the boats.

Chapter Summary: “Giant Wraith”

Key Plot Points and Events

• On the pirate ship Black Death, Pirate Admiral Tracy torments a red-haired woman who was apparently made to resemble someone important to her. When the woman begs for mercy, Tracy angrily dismisses her, revealing her frustration that the disguise cannot replace the person she truly wants.
• Tracy privately wonders whether her mother intentionally wanted her to experience despair and pain, hinting at a troubled and emotionally damaging relationship.
• Two pirates report that a slave-retrieval operation failed after Dulles leaked information and a Loen colonel led a raid. Tracy notices that one of the returning pirates is behaving unnaturally.
• The suspicious pirate is revealed to be possessed by a Giant Wraith, which attacks Tracy with a devastating Wraith Shriek. Tracy survives by using the Demoness ability Mirror Substitution Technique, replacing herself with the image in a wall mirror.
• The Wraith kills the other pirate and emerges as a towering, translucent figure in silver-white armor. The dead pirates then rise as Zombies, while two Water Ghosts emerge from the carpet to restrain Tracy.
• Tracy counterattacks with black flames, destroying the Water Ghosts, and unleashes a dark-blue freezing aura that immobilizes the Zombies.
• The Giant Wraith executes a layered ambush. It fires a poisonous Frost arrow, forcing Tracy to dodge, then causes the floor beneath her to become a Sea of Abyss filled with blood-red, eyeless vines. Tracy realizes she has been deliberately maneuvered into the trap and is pinned in place.

Character Developments

• Tracy is shown as cruel, intimidating, and accustomed to controlling others, but her treatment of the red-haired woman exposes deep grief and unresolved longing. Her words reveal that she is trying—and failing—to recreate someone associated with her mother.
• Despite being caught off guard, Tracy remains composed and highly capable in combat. She quickly identifies threats, uses her substitution ability intelligently, destroys the Water Ghosts, freezes the Zombies, and relies on her spiritual intuition to evade the Frost arrow.
• The Giant Wraith is established as an intelligent and strategic enemy rather than a mindless apparition. It disguises itself through possession, creates additional undead servants, predicts Tracy’s reactions, and uses a chain of attacks to guide her into a fatal position.
• The returning pirates are portrayed as frightened and powerless before Tracy, while their possession demonstrates how easily the Wraith can infiltrate and manipulate human bodies.

Significant Themes

• Grief, replacement, and emotional pain: Tracy’s attempt to use the red-haired woman as a substitute for another person highlights her inability to escape the past.
• Cruelty and vulnerability: Tracy appears dominant and sadistic, yet her private words reveal emotional wounds beneath her harsh exterior.
• Deception and layered strategy: The Wraith conceals its identity, uses possessed servants, and turns Tracy’s own instincts against her.
• Death and corruption: The transformation of the pirates into Zombies, along with the Water Ghosts and abyssal vines, reinforces the chapter’s imagery of bodies and environments being twisted into instruments of violence.
• Power versus preparation: Tracy possesses formidable abilities, but the Wraith’s careful planning allows it to overcome her immediate advantages.

Character Interactions

• Tracy intimidates and rejects the red-haired impersonator, making clear that she cannot accept a substitute for the woman she misses.
• The two pirates report their failure to Tracy in fear, with one unknowingly accompanying the disguised Wraith.
• Tracy interrogates the suspicious pirate, prompting the Wraith to reveal itself and attack.
• The Wraith and Tracy engage in a tactical battle: Tracy relies on rapid defensive and elemental abilities, while the Wraith coordinates possession, undead minions, ranged attacks, and environmental manipulation to trap her.

Tracy survived a Wraith’s attack aboard the Black Death, while Sifa secured her hair to track her and learned where to find the Crimson Demon Wolves. He began planning how to prepare for a hunt in the Spirit World, including using Groselle's Travels as a fallback.

• Tracy escaped the blood-red vines with the Wand Substitution Method, evaded flying mirror shards, and fled into the corridor as the Wraith vanished, leaving two corpses sealed in ice.
• On an airship bound for Backlund, Leonard spoke with Daly Simone, while a spider watched Daly and reflected on Sauron Einhorn Medici and an Iron-blooded Knight who had injured the Evil Spirit.
• After returning to his hotel in Cookawa City, Sifa stored Tracy’s hair in the Spirit World Treasure Chest so he could track her.
• Miss Viri told Sifa that she had found the Crimson Demon Wolves in the Spirit World and warned that they were cunning, controlled minions, and could wield several kinds of flame.
• Sifa considered asking Klein to lend him Groselle's Travels so he could use a Demon Wolf’s blood to draw it into the Book World if his hunt failed.

Sifa prepared to lure and hunt the Crimson Demon Wolf in the Spirit World, while Caven arrived aboard the Future to pursue his Marionettist advancement. The chapter left Sifa and Miss Viri poised to approach the Demon Wolf’s ruins.

• Sifa planned to draw the Crimson Demon Wolf out with the Hot Core Heart and use his Projection Legion to fight it in the Book World.
• Klein heard Sifa’s prayer to rent Groselle's Travels, then spotted Nast’s ship, the Black Emperor, sailing toward him.
• Sifa received Groselle's Travels from Klein, prepared his equipment and the Hot Core Heart, and summoned Miss Viri.
• Caven arrived at Toscarter Island with the Marionettist potion ingredients Sifa had arranged and boarded Cattleya’s ship, the Future.
• Miss Viri led Sifa through the Spirit World to the ruins where the Crimson Demon Wolf was hiding and warned him that the creatures there served as its eyes.
• Sifa gave Miss Viri the Hot Core Heart, transformed into a concealed giant, and prepared to approach the ruins.

Chapter Summary: “Desire” — Alliance Leader Bonus Chapter 2

Key Plot Points and Events

• Miss Viri floods the gray-white ruins with supernatural sea mist and tides, concealing herself while approaching the Crimson Demon Wolf.
• Sifa uses his possession ability to control a lanky Spirit World creature, sending it toward Miss Viri as a scout. He deduces that the Demon Wolf is using the other creatures in the ruins as its senses and servants.
• The Crimson Demon Wolf is revealed hiding in a ruined building. Through invisible connections, it shares the senses of the surrounding Spirit World creatures and observes Miss Viri.
• Miss Viri opens the box containing the Hot Core Heart, releasing its aura. The Demon Wolf immediately becomes consumed by an irresistible desire to obtain and merge with it.
• Driven by instinct, the Demon Wolf transforms its fur into crimson flames and charges toward Miss Viri. The creatures under its control attack alongside it.
• Miss Viri effortlessly destroys most of the Demon Wolf’s “army” using a combination of tidal waves, earthquakes, magma, wind, and lightning.
• The Demon Wolf breaks through the attacks and launches a massive wave of crimson flames. Miss Viri counters with illusory seawater, neutralizing the attack.
• She then lifts the Demon Wolf into the air with a hurricane and bombards it with a devastating storm of silver-white lightning.
• Severely injured and partially blinded, the Demon Wolf falls back to the ground. When another lightning strike threatens a nearby creature, it throws that creature into the attack as a shield.
• In the creature’s eyes—and simultaneously in its own remaining eyes—the Demon Wolf sees Sifa, clad in silver-white armor with a glowing vertical eye, resembling the legendary Twilight Giant.

Character Developments

• Sifa demonstrates strategic intelligence and caution. Rather than confronting the Demon Wolf directly, he uses possession to investigate its network of controlled creatures and confirm its abilities.
• Miss Viri displays overwhelming control over multiple elemental and environmental forces, including water, wind, earth, magma, and lightning. Her calm, methodical destruction of the Demon Wolf’s army emphasizes her power and combat mastery.
• The Crimson Demon Wolf is established as both highly intelligent and instinct-driven. It normally hides behind its network of servants, but the Hot Core Heart overwhelms its judgment and forces it into a direct attack.
• The Demon Wolf’s willingness to sacrifice one of its controlled creatures to survive reveals its ruthless, self-preserving nature.
• Sifa’s appearance as the Twilight Giant-like figure suggests that his transformation or presence may play a decisive role in the coming confrontation.

Significant Themes

• Desire and instinct: The Hot Core Heart awakens an irresistible longing in the Demon Wolf, showing how desire can override caution and strategic thinking.
• Control and domination: Both Sifa and the Demon Wolf manipulate other creatures—Sifa through possession and the Demon Wolf through shared senses and invisible connections.
• Power versus strategy: The Demon Wolf relies on preparation, concealment, and an army, while Miss Viri overwhelms those tactics through superior direct power.
• Predation and survival: The Demon Wolf treats its servants as expendable tools, even using one as a shield when injured.
• Transformation and identity: The Hot Core Heart’s attraction and Sifa’s Twilight Giant-like appearance hint at larger changes in power and form.

Character Interactions

• Sifa and Miss Viri: Sifa supports Miss Viri indirectly by analyzing the Demon Wolf and providing the box containing the Hot Core Heart.
• Miss Viri and the Spirit World creatures: She treats the creatures as obstacles and eliminates them through coordinated elemental attacks.
• Miss Viri and the Demon Wolf: Their confrontation escalates from indirect probing to a direct clash of flames, water, wind, and lightning. Miss Viri gains the upper hand and severely wounds the Demon Wolf.
• The Demon Wolf and its army: The creature uses its servants as scouts and extensions of its senses, then commands them to attack. Once cornered, it sacrifices one of them to protect itself.
• Sifa and the Demon Wolf: The chapter ends with their first clear visual confrontation, as the injured Demon Wolf finally sees Sifa’s imposing, Twilight Giant-like form.