Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “The Battle Comes to an End”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Klein begins integrating the Fool potion and experiences his consciousness spreading across all living beings, the Historical Void, and the flow of time. This threatens to erase his identity and turn him into a true Monster.
• A disturbance restores a fragment of Klein’s self-awareness, allowing him to gather his scattered spirit and take control of the advancement.
• The Ancient Sun God’s prophecy has been disrupted by the River of Eternal Darkness’s water, preventing Antigonus’s foretold loss of control and stopping the Amons’ attempt to force Klein into suicidal despair.
• The Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings attempts to awaken within Klein, urging him to surrender. Klein firmly rejects the will, declaring that he will walk his own path.
• The Evernight Goddess Conceals the battlefield, temporarily erasing Amon, the Gods, and their avatars from perception. During this brief interval, Klein completes his transformation.
• Klein’s body becomes a dark, translucent cloak covered in Worms, beneath which an illusory mask takes shape. When the mask assumes Klein’s appearance, the Fool is officially born.
• The Concealment ends, and the Gods regain awareness. The Ancient Sun God restores light to the Astral World, disrupting the Demoness and helping the others recover.
• Amon escapes by splitting into countless Doors, making it impossible for the Gods to identify his true location.
• With Amon’s retreat, the massive Astral World battle ends. The various supernatural landscapes and barriers disappear.
• Klein thanks the Evernight Goddess and Sifa before returning to Sefirah Castle. Antigonus remains behind in the ruined palace, seemingly awakening from a long dream.

Character Developments

• Klein: Successfully advances to Sequence 0 and becomes the Fool. He demonstrates an exceptionally strong sense of self by resisting both the Fool potion’s spiritual imprints and the Celestial Worthy’s invading will. Although he remains under constant psychological pressure, he retains control of himself.
• Amon: Fails to stop Klein’s advancement and is forced to retreat. His momentary confusion when confronted with the newly born Fool highlights the power and uniqueness of Klein’s transformation.
• Evernight Goddess: Plays a decisive supporting role by Concealing the battlefield and protecting the advancement process. Her silent coordination with Sifa shows their mutual trust and understanding.
• Sifa: Continues to maintain the Red Priest status and protects herself with the Crimson Legion. She shares a brief tacit understanding with Evernight and later departs in a dramatic crimson manifestation.
• Celestial Worthy: His will briefly resurfaces but is suppressed by Klein’s determination. Though defeated in this moment, his influence remains a constant threat.
• Antigonus: Is spared the predicted collapse into madness and loss of control, but is left in a deeply altered, dreamlike state after Klein’s advancement.

Significant Themes

• Identity and self-determination: Klein’s refusal to surrender represents his insistence on remaining himself despite overwhelming divine forces and inherited wills.
• The danger of godhood: Becoming a deity gives Klein immense power but risks dissolving his individuality into countless perspectives and spiritual imprints.
• Resistance against fate: The disruption of the Ancient Sun God’s prophecy and Klein’s rejection of the Celestial Worthy emphasize that destiny can be resisted or redirected.
• Sacrifice and cooperation: The intervention of the Lord of Storms, Evernight Goddess, Sifa, and others makes Klein’s success possible, showing that survival depends on alliances among powerful but competing figures.
• Transformation and rebirth: Klein’s grotesque dissolution into a cloak and mask symbolizes the death of his former self and the birth of the Fool.

Character Interactions

• Klein directly confronts and rejects the Celestial Worthy’s attempt to possess him.
• The Evernight Goddess and Sifa silently coordinate during the Concealment, ensuring Klein has the time to complete his advancement.
• Amon encounters the newly formed Fool and is briefly affected by the sight, then immediately escapes.
• Klein bows to and thanks the Evernight Goddess and the Red Priest, acknowledging their aid.
• Sifa instinctively protects herself with the Crimson Legion and departs after the battle, while Klein returns to Sefirah Castle.

Sifa descended into Calderón to seize the Red Priest Uniqueness from Salinger and used the Crimson Legion, fire, and lightning to strip away its corruption. The Uniqueness broke free from Salinger and flew toward Sifa, with only a trace of corruption remaining.

• Crimson flames swept through Calderón, destroying its remaining monsters and the contents of the palace coffins.
• Sifa appeared by the River of Eternal Darkness, where Salinger was drawn to the Red Priest aura and struggled to hold onto the Uniqueness.
• Sifa summoned the Crimson Legion, whose spears wounded Salinger and weakened his grip on the Red Priest Uniqueness.
• Sifa drew the war banner from Salinger, but gray mist and illusory black water clung to it as signs of corruption.
• Sifa used the banner’s flames and a storm of lightning to burn and shatter the corruption while the Crimson Legion suppressed Salinger.
• The Red Priest Uniqueness shed nearly all its corruption and flew toward Sifa.

Klein became the Fool and discovered that Amon had invaded Sefirah Castle after ceasing to suppress the Lord of Mysteries' will within himself. Meanwhile, Sifa returned to Abidos after using a Red Priest projection and prepared for his eventual advancement, then agreed to take Lin Rui outside.

• Klein sat in the Fool's seat, confirmed that his condition was stable, and examined his new Fooling authority.
• Amon entered Sefirah Castle and revealed that he had gained control of it by allowing the Lord of Mysteries' will to surface, then challenged Klein while displaying signs of madness.
• Klein realized he could not expel Amon and prepared for the possibility that they would perish together, though he still had a chance to resurrect in Abidos.
• Sifa returned to the city lord's residence, reflected on the Red Priest projection's power and its effects on his humanity, and identified the continent-wide war required for his Sequence 0 ritual.
• Sifa met Lin Rui, who complained that Katarina had kept him confined, and invited him to come along for a walk.

Chapter Summary: “Activated Sefirah”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sifa disguises himself in traditional Abidos clothing and leaves the City Lord’s Manor with Lin Rui through a back alley, blending into the city crowds.
• As they walk through Abidos, Sifa observes the city’s distinctive customs and architecture. The city retains features of the Ancient Balam Empire, including abundant giant trees and former traditions involving eerie wooden masks.
• Sifa reflects on the reforms he has introduced since taking control of Abidos. He has eliminated some morbid Rose School customs and established restaurants, bars, schools, and other signs of ordinary civic life.
• Lin Rui describes his homeland in the Western Continent: a beautiful mountainous region filled with mist, ancient cypresses, stone bridges, flowers, grass, and lantern-lit festivals. However, the land is now threatened by recurring Catastrophes, awakening gods, and an invisible barrier that prevents anyone from leaving.
• Sifa reassures Lin Rui that the barrier will eventually be removed, anticipating that Klein’s rise as the Lord of Mysteries will make travel to the Western Continent possible.
• Sifa considers the possibility that the “gods” of the Western Continent may actually be activated Sefirah. As the seal weakens and the Apocalypse approaches, the sealed Sefirah may be increasingly drawn toward one another and gradually awakening.
• Sifa buys the newly published Abidos Weekly, discovering that Katarina’s planned newspaper has already begun circulating. Its sections include weather, local news, and reports on Nefi’s expedition.
• After reading the expedition report, Sifa uses his connection with Katarina to arrange a meeting about mobilizing the army and invading the Southern Continent. With the necessary Uniqueness and Beyonder Characteristics gathered, conquering the continent has become essential both politically and for completing the digestion of his Conqueror potion.

Character Developments

• Sifa is shown as a transforming ruler rather than merely an adventurer or warrior. He takes pride in Abidos’s modernization and recognizes the influence he has had on its society.
• He continues to think strategically on a grand scale, balancing humanitarian concerns for Lin Rui, supernatural mysteries concerning the Western Continent, and military plans for the Southern Continent.
• Sifa’s understanding of the Western Continent develops as he theorizes that its sleeping gods may be Sefirah becoming active as the Celestial Worthy’s seal weakens.
• Lin Rui reveals a deep emotional attachment to his homeland. His memories emphasize its beauty, while his fear and grief show how seriously he views the disasters threatening it.
• Lin Rui is also struck by Sifa’s transformation from an ordinary pirate hunter into a powerful ruler, religious figure, and Heaven-Man Unity powerhouse.

Significant Themes

• Transformation and progress: Abidos is changing under Sifa’s rule, moving away from oppressive and morbid customs toward education, commerce, public institutions, and a more modern urban society.
• Memory and homeland: Lin Rui’s description of his home contrasts its former beauty with its current devastation, emphasizing loss, displacement, and the desire to return.
• Power and responsibility: Sifa’s growing strength gives him the ability—and obligation—to protect people, reform society, and confront continent-wide threats.
• Mystery of the Western Continent: The chapter raises the possibility that its gods are not conventional deities but awakened Sefirah, linking its disasters to the weakening seal and the approaching Apocalypse.
• Conquest and advancement: Sifa’s planned invasion is both a political campaign and part of his supernatural progression, showing how personal advancement and imperial expansion have become intertwined.

Character Interactions

• Sifa and Lin Rui walk together in disguise, allowing Lin Rui to share his memories and fears about the Western Continent.
• Sifa responds sympathetically, placing a reassuring hand on Lin Rui’s shoulder and promising that the barrier sealing his homeland will eventually be removed.
• Lin Rui silently compares Sifa’s current status with his humble beginnings, highlighting his astonishing rise in power and influence.
• Sifa interacts with the newspaper boy by purchasing an issue of the Abidos Weekly, then uses its expedition news to communicate indirectly with Katarina and initiate preparations for the Southern Continent campaign.

Chapter Summary: “The Battle Was Inevitable”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After eating in Abidos City, Sifa senses an immense battle taking place in the distant Starry Sky. Realizing that only deities could fight there, he concludes that Klein and Amon have likely begun battling shortly after Klein’s advancement to the Fool.
• Sifa worries that Amon may exploit Klein’s unstable condition and lack of experience as a newly advanced True God. He correctly suspects that Amon would attack while Klein was still vulnerable, especially because Klein possesses Sefirah Castle.
• Above the Gray Fog, Klein survives the battle and defeats Amon using the power of a supernova explosion. Amon’s body is destroyed, though Klein acknowledges that Amon may have hidden avatars.
• Klein gathers Amon’s Beyonder Characteristics but prevents them from merging with him, fearing that their convergence could awaken the Celestial Worthy’s will and cause him to lose his identity.
• Klein then meets the Evernight Goddess in the Astral World. She explains that becoming a Great Old One requires no ritual; instead, success depends on maintaining self-awareness while accommodating the necessary powers. She recommends first fully controlling Sefirah Castle before fusing with additional Beyonder Characteristics.
• In Abidos, Sifa receives confirmation that Amon has fallen. He is also given the optimal order for advancing: become a Sequence 0, control and fuse with the relevant Sefirah, and only afterward accommodate the remaining Uniqueness and characteristics.
• Sifa realizes that, after becoming the Red Priest, he must seek and fuse with the Red Priest pathway’s Sefirah before accommodating the Demoness Uniqueness. This makes a future confrontation with the Primordial Demoness unavoidable.

Character Developments

• Sifa demonstrates sharper strategic reasoning, correctly identifying the cause of the Starry Sky battle and anticipating Amon’s motives. He also strengthens his self-awareness by reviewing his past, preparing to resist the corrupting effects of divinity.
• Klein proves capable of defeating Amon despite the enormous risks involved. His victory establishes him as a true god but also highlights his continuing danger from the Celestial Worthy’s awakening consciousness.
• Amon is shown to be exceptionally reckless and dangerous, even willing to let the Lord of Mysteries awaken within him in order to invade Sefirah Castle.
• The Evernight Goddess acts as a guide and protector, providing Klein with crucial information about advancement and the dangers of accommodating Great Old One-level powers.
• The Primordial Demoness becomes Sifa’s inevitable future rival because both he and she require powers connected to opposing pathways and higher-level authorities.

Significant Themes

• The dangers of godhood: Advancement grants immense power but exposes Klein and Sifa to mental corruption, loss of identity, and the awakening of ancient wills.
• Self-awareness versus primordial influence: Maintaining one’s identity is essential when accommodating powers connected to the Lord of Mysteries or other ancient beings.
• Strategy and timing: Amon’s attack exploits Klein’s moment of weakness, while the proper order of advancement can significantly affect the chances of survival.
• Inevitable conflict: Sifa’s path toward becoming the Red Priest places him on a direct collision course with the Primordial Demoness.
• Victory with consequences: Klein wins, but the battle leaves him facing further risks, while Amon’s defeat may not be entirely permanent due to possible surviving avatars.

Important Character Interactions

• Sifa and Lin Rui: Lin Rui notices Sifa looking toward the sky but cannot perceive the divine battle Sifa senses.
• Klein and Amon: Their battle ends with Klein destroying Amon’s main body, but Amon’s willingness to risk awakening the Lord of Mysteries makes the confrontation especially dangerous.
• Klein and the Evernight Goddess: She advises Klein on how to control Sefirah Castle and safely pursue Great Old One advancement.
• Sifa and the mysterious informant: The figure confirms Amon’s defeat and explains the correct advancement sequence, allowing Sifa to revise his plans.
• Sifa and the Primordial Demoness: Though they do not directly meet in the chapter, Sifa recognizes that their goals make a future battle unavoidable.

Sifa weighed the likely allies and opponents in a future fight against the Primordial Demoness, then led a meeting to organize an invasion of the Southern Continent. Abidos finalized its preparations for war, and news of the campaign spread beyond the city.

• Sifa said he could rely on Klein against the Demoness and identified the Demoness Sect and Rose School as potential opponents, while prioritizing the conquest of the Southern Continent and his ritual.
• Katarina summoned Sifa to a conference attended by Church of War leaders, Abidos officers, and Demi-Human elders.
• Katarina introduced Alexander Satan, Lorena Vaskahn, Pete, Raylin Fars, and Krissen Yaber as members of the Blood Knights and Church of War.
• Sifa and the attendees settled plans to send troops, Blood Knights, and War Priests south to conquer the continent.
• Abidos converted wealth seized from the Rose School into supplies and weapons, bought rifles and artillery, and began preparing for war as news of the campaign spread.

Sifa agreed to let Lin Rui join the expedition and promised protection for Reg if he joined them. Meanwhile, Reg arrived in Backlund while fleeing the Demoness Sect, but two women approached him through the fog.

• Sifa allowed Lin Rui to join the expedition on the condition that he stay by his side.
• Katarina asked Sifa to let her retrieve Reg, and Sifa agreed to protect him if he was willing to join them.
• Katarina gave Sifa Nefi’s report about the lands beyond the mountains, including the River of Life and an empress ruling from the Pale Plateau.
• Sifa suspected that the empress was an angel connected to the Death pathway and considered whether Sia Palenque Eggers had established the country.
• Reg arrived in Backlund, searched rental listings, and reminded himself that he was no longer Trissy.
• Reg sensed two women in black approaching him from behind.

Reg evaded two women who had been following him, rented a house on Minsk Street, and unexpectedly found Katarina waiting inside. Katarina revealed that she had joined the Lord of War’s clergy and warned Reg that the Demonesses would pursue him for changing his sex and following their hated Pathway.

• Reg bought a second-class subway ticket, boarded the train, and escaped the two women by jumping off before it departed.
• Reg hired a carriage to No. 7 Minsk Street and rented the house for 15 soli a week.
• Reg inspected the house and discovered Katarina in the drawing room.
• Katarina said she had found a happy new faith in the Lord of War and warned Reg that the Demonesses would not let him go.
• Reg agreed that they would pursue him and blamed his mother’s betrayal of the sect for drawing him into the conflict.

Katarina used the Scroll of God and a travel cloak to escape Catherine with Reg, then brought him to meet a mysterious figure in Abidos. The figure welcomed him as Mr. Reg and began to address him as Trissy.

• Katarina urged Reg to follow the Lord of War for protection while Catherine appeared at their rented house.
• Katarina opened the Scroll of God and used The Last Judgment to hold off Catherine as gray-white power petrified the vision’s angels, river, and boat.
• Katarina and Reg escaped to Abidos using a Mystical Item with the power of Travel.
• Katarina took Reg to a study, where a person with unremarkable male features welcomed him as Mr. Reg and started to call him Trissy.

Chapter Summary: “A Long-Term Commission”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Reg arrives and encounters an ordinary-looking man who is revealed to be connected to the same Pathway. Despite the man’s harmless appearance, Reg feels an instinctive terror and an inability to resist him—an even stronger suppression than he experienced against Black Saint Catherine.
• Sifa also examines the man and notices lingering traces of Trissy, marveling that potions can alter someone’s gender. He entrusts the man’s accommodation to Katarina and remains focused on his larger goal of conquering the continent.
• At three o’clock, Sifa attends the Tarot Club’s gathering above the Gray Fog. Klein, acting as Mr. Fool, informs the members that Amon recently invaded the space.
• The Tarot Club members are alarmed, particularly those connected to the Marauder Pathway, but “The World” explains that Amon has fallen. Any surviving avatars are believed to be no higher than Sequence 2 and are unlikely to pose an immediate threat.
• The members infer that Mr. Fool has fully revived and defeated Amon in a battle that surpassed the Sequence level. This greatly reassures and inspires them.
• The Hanged Man asks about the meaning of “Above the Sequence.” Sifa and Klein refuse to explain in detail, warning that learning about it prematurely could expose the members to dangerous pollution.
• Klein gives the Tarot Club a long-term commission: spread his name and faith without directly provoking the Orthodox Churches, using secret preaching when necessary.
• Klein also assigns Sifa a second long-term task: investigate the Primordial Demoness and her current condition. If needed, Sifa may seek help from Klein’s Chosen One. In return, Klein promises to protect Sifa during his next advancement, especially from interference by the Primordial Demoness.

2. Character Developments

• Reg is shown to possess an instinctive fear of the mysterious man, revealing the overwhelming authority that can exist between members of the same Pathway.
• Sifa remains calm and strategically focused. He is not particularly concerned by Reg’s arrival and continues prioritizing his plans for the continent. His status is emphasized when Klein promises to personally safeguard his future advancement.
• Klein/Mr. Fool appears more powerful and mysterious than before, confirming that he has likely completely revived. However, his concern about the Lord of Mysteries’ eventual awakening shows that he is preparing for a future internal struggle even after reaching greater power.
• Audrey uses her Spectator abilities to sense Klein’s increased strength. Her happiness and renewed confidence demonstrate her deep faith in him.
• The Tarot Club members move from fear over Amon’s invasion to relief and pride after learning that Mr. Fool prevailed. They also begin to recognize that their leader operates on a level far beyond ordinary Sequence 0 beings.

3. Significant Themes

• Power and Pathway suppression: The opening encounter illustrates how beings of the same Pathway can instinctively dominate or terrify one another.
• Transformation and identity: Sifa’s observation of the man’s resemblance to Trissy highlights the extraordinary and unsettling effects of Beyonder potions, including the ability to alter gender and identity.
• Faith as power: Klein’s request to spread his name reflects the importance of Anchors in maintaining stability and resisting the will of the Lord of Mysteries.
• The dangers of forbidden knowledge: The discussion of “Above the Sequence” emphasizes that understanding certain truths too early can itself cause spiritual pollution.
• Preparation for future conflict: Although Amon has been defeated, Klein recognizes that greater dangers remain, particularly the Lord of Mysteries and the Primordial Demoness. The chapter therefore shifts from immediate crisis to long-term planning.
• Growing influence of the Tarot Club: The members are no longer merely gathering for personal advancement; they are becoming agents who spread Klein’s influence and investigate threats on his behalf.

4. Character Interactions

• Reg and the mysterious man: Their encounter is dominated by Reg’s instinctive fear and the man’s overwhelming Pathway-based authority.
• Sifa and Katarina: Sifa calmly orders Katarina to arrange lodging for the newcomer, demonstrating his command over his organization.
• Sifa and the newcomer: Sifa examines him closely, noticing traces of Trissy but showing little emotional reaction.
• Klein and the Tarot Club: Klein reassures the members about Amon’s defeat and assigns them the mission of spreading his name.
• The Hanged Man and Sifa/Klein: The Hanged Man seeks knowledge about the level above Sequence 0, but Sifa and Klein caution him that such information is dangerous and only appropriate for Angels.
• Klein and Sifa: Their exchange reveals a high level of trust and cooperation. Klein treats Sifa as an important ally, offering him direct assistance and protection against the Primordial Demoness.

Chapter Summary: “Something That Had to Be Done”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Tarot Club members realize that “Chariot” Sifa’s upcoming promotion involves challenging for the position of a Sequence 0 True God. This shocks the group, since a True God exists on a level far beyond Angels and even Kings of Angels.
• Klein, as “The Fool,” assigns several important commissions:
  • The Hermit Cattleya accepts a dangerous investigation into the current state of the Hidden Sage. Klein promises to protect her if necessary, with her reward being a wish.
  • The Sun Derrick must protect the City of Silver and the City of New Moon, defend the Rorsted Archipelago, and consider expanding the Fool’s Church. He will become one of the Fool’s Chosen.
  • The Magician Fors must protect the Abraham family from the influence of the Starry Sky, investigate Fourth Epoch secrets, and determine Mr. Door’s condition. Klein promises to protect her when she eventually risks entering the Starry Sky.
  • Justice Audrey is instructed to continue spreading the Fool’s name and advance her Sequence, ideally reaching Sequence 1 or 2. Klein may need her psychological abilities to help suppress the Celestial Worthy’s influence if he is affected while advancing toward the level of a Great Old One.
• Sifa asks for help defending a city from a possible return of the Rose School while he carries out an important ritual. Emlyn declines because of his duties with Father Utravsky, while Audrey agrees to assist.
• Sifa reassures Audrey that the remaining Rose School forces are limited and that he will personally deal with their Angel, Suah, if necessary. Other Saints and Demigods will also defend the city.
• After the Tarot Club meeting ends, Audrey returns to her family home in Backlund and quietly observes her parents and brothers preparing for an upcoming ball.

Character Developments

• Sifa/“Chariot” is revealed to be approaching the level of a True God, dramatically increasing the group’s estimation of him. He also demonstrates leadership by organizing defenses against the Rose School.
• Klein/“The Fool” takes on a more commanding and protective role. His commissions show that he is preparing the Tarot Club for the dangers surrounding the Apocalypse, his own advancement, and the Celestial Worthy’s possible awakening.
• Cattleya accepts a highly dangerous mission, showing her trust in Klein and her willingness to take calculated risks for knowledge and advancement.
• Derrick receives greater responsibility as a protector, missionary, and future representative of the Fool.
• Fors is placed in a position requiring her to confront both her family’s historical dangers and the threat of the Starry Sky.
• Audrey displays maturity and resolve. She recognizes that remaining with her family could expose them to supernatural dangers, so she chooses to leave despite her love for them. Her goal is not merely self-preservation but becoming strong enough to protect them during the Apocalypse.
• Emlyn remains proud and somewhat arrogant, but his reaction to Sifa’s impending divinity reveals that he now views Sifa with genuine caution and respect.

Significant Themes

• The approach of godhood and the scale of power: The members confront the enormous difference between Demigods, Angels, and True Gods.
• Responsibility and sacrifice: Each Tarot Club member receives a duty connected to protecting others or preparing for coming catastrophes.
• Preparation for the Apocalypse: The commissions collectively reveal a coordinated effort to strengthen allies, expand the Fool’s influence, investigate ancient threats, and prepare for cosmic dangers.
• Knowledge versus danger: Cattleya and Fors must pursue forbidden or dangerous knowledge while relying on Klein’s protection.
• Family, separation, and duty: Audrey’s decision to leave her family illustrates the painful sacrifices required to protect loved ones.
• Growth and maturity: The characters are no longer merely pursuing personal advancement; they are accepting responsibilities that affect entire cities, organizations, and the fate of the world.

Character Interactions

• The Tarot Club members silently assess the significance of Sifa’s possible ascension, with Cattleya, Leonard, Derrick, and Alger each recognizing the unprecedented nature of the event.
• Klein offers Cattleya protection, strengthening their relationship of trust and emphasizing his role as the group’s protector.
• Sifa recruits Audrey to help defend a city, and their exchange shows mutual confidence: Audrey accepts the danger, while Sifa assures her she will have support.
• Emlyn’s refusal reflects his existing obligations, while his subdued reaction to Sifa’s status shows a rare shift in his attitude.
• The Tarot Club members discuss their assignments collectively, using one another’s knowledge and perspectives to improve their chances of success.
• At home, Audrey observes her family without participating in their conversation, creating an emotional contrast between the warmth of ordinary family life and her impending departure.

Audrey traveled from the Hall family ball to Abidos to join Sifa, who showed her the rebuilt city and introduced the people entrusted with its protection. The chapter ended with Suzie telling Audrey that Reg had seemed jealous of her looks, leaving Audrey puzzled because Reg was a man.

• Audrey bid farewell to her family from afar and traveled with Suzie through the sea of the collective unconscious to meet Sifa in Abidos.
• Sifa welcomed Audrey and Suzie, arranged their rooms, and gave them a tour of the rebuilt city the next day.
• Audrey saw a Church of Storms cathedral and a Church of War cathedral, and realized Sifa had established his own church.
• Sifa introduced Katarina, a former Demoness who served him, and her son Reg, an Iron-blooded Knight, and entrusted Abidos's protection to them and Audrey.
• Suzie told Audrey that Reg had seemed jealous of her beauty, and Audrey wondered how that could be since he was a man.

As Sifa led the campaign south, he learned that spies from the Pale Empire had stolen intelligence and traveled to the Black Cloud tribe, where he appeared as the Angel Rayleigh. Nefi welcomed him in private, while Audrey remained in Abidos City under Reg’s protection.

• Audrey worried about her family, and Suzie reassured her before the army marched out of Abidos City the next day.
• Katarina left Reg in charge of protecting Audrey and returned to the Church.
• Sifa learned through Nefi’s prayer that Pale Empire spies had stolen intelligence, though the captured spies had killed themselves before revealing anything.
• Sifa sent a Time Projection to take his place, traveled to the Black Cloud tribe, and appeared there as Rayleigh.
• Nefi introduced Rayleigh to Yinmen and the tribe, then privately hugged Sifa and lifted him off the ground.

Sifa learned that the Pale Empire could be reached through shortcuts across the Sighing Wall and ordered Nefi to scout the route. Nefi’s party entered the forest, ambushed a group of trained spies, and began interrogating the captured men.

• Nefi told Sifa that Spirit Channeling a dead spy revealed the mountain range was called the Sighing Wall and that Grey Wolf was mapping shortcuts into the Pale Empire.
• Nefi explained that the empire was divided into six counties and the White City, and Sifa recognized that conquering it would advance his Red Priest ritual.
• Sifa ordered Nefi to scout the shortcuts and prepare the Nomadic Tribe for a possible fight after crossing the mountains.
• Two days later, Nefi’s party found nine supposed hunters who used birds to relay messages and showed signs of military training.
• Nefi ordered a nighttime attack, and her Hunters disabled the traps and sentries before a Pyromaniac drove the men from the trees with fireballs.
• Nefi captured five men, beat them when they claimed to be ordinary hunters, and ordered her warriors to interrogate them separately.

Summary of “Secret Alliance”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Nefi learns that the Pale Empire has dispatched at least ten scout teams from nearby Waliwak County into the forest to monitor the shortcut through the Sighing Wall mountain range. The teams operate independently, report daily, and only their commander knows their locations.
• To neutralize this surveillance, Sifa summons a Time Projection of Audrey, the former Justice and a high-level Spectator. As a Dream Weaver, Audrey hypnotizes captured scouts, forces them to send routine reports, and implants plausible explanations for their injuries.
• Audrey then uses Dream Traversal to locate the remaining scout teams and hypnotizes them as well. The scouts are turned into unwitting pawns who conceal Abidos’s army movements. Consequently, the Pale Empire receives false intelligence after only one night.
• In Trier, Hobbes, a Rose School Demigod, meets Catherine, the Demoness Sect’s Black Saint. They discuss Don Quixote’s movement from Abidos toward the Southern Continent and the possible appearance of the Red Priest’s Uniqueness.
• Hobbes proposes that the Rose School retake Abidos, forcing Don Quixote into a two-front conflict. He also suggests pursuing her southward and allying with the ancient Balam-descended empire beyond the Sighing Wall.
• Hobbes identifies the likely ruler of that empire as Sia Palenque Eggers, a Sequence 1 Pale Emperor and probable leader of the Numinous Episcopate. Catherine accepts cooperation, provided the Rose School’s leader commits fully.
• Catherine’s decision is influenced by a revelation from the Primordial, who demands that the Demonesses obtain the Red Priest’s Uniqueness and the Conqueror characteristic. She suspects the Primordial’s condition is worsening and fears Don Quixote may obtain both.
• At the Trier train station, Emlyn arrives and wonders why the Rose School has come to Trier rather than remaining in the Southern Continent.

Character Developments

• Sifa demonstrates strategic resourcefulness by using his accumulated subscriptions to obtain useful Time Projections, particularly Audrey’s abilities rather than relying solely on combat-oriented powers.
• Audrey proves highly effective in covert operations. Her psychological manipulation allows Sifa’s forces to erase evidence of the scouts’ capture and completely corrupt the Pale Empire’s intelligence network.
• Hobbes emerges as an aggressive strategist. He recognizes Don Quixote as a major threat and formulates a plan to reclaim Abidos while exploiting potential conflict between her and the Southern Continent’s Pale Emperor.
• Catherine becomes increasingly concerned about the Primordial’s weakening condition and the consequences of Don Quixote acquiring the Red Priest’s Uniqueness and the Conqueror characteristic. Though cautious, she agrees to the alliance.
• Don Quixote, though absent, is established as the central strategic threat. Her journey southward and possible advancement toward the Red Priest pathway drive the actions of both the Rose School and Demoness Sect.
• Emlyn reenters the plot with uncertainty about the Rose School’s unexpected presence in Trier, hinting that further conflict or investigation is imminent.

Significant Themes

• Deception and information warfare: The forest operation shows how controlling information can be more decisive than direct combat. Audrey turns the Pale Empire’s surveillance system against itself.
• Secret alliances and opportunism: The Rose School and Demoness Sect cooperate despite their own interests because Don Quixote and the Red Priest’s Uniqueness pose a shared danger.
• Escalating power struggles: The Red Priest’s Uniqueness, the Conqueror characteristic, and the potential rise of a new Red Priest threaten to reshape the balance among powerful factions.
• Ancient legacies: The empire beyond the Sighing Wall is connected to ancient Balam and Salinger’s descendants, linking current conflicts to unresolved historical powers.
• Declining higher powers: The Primordial’s worsening condition suggests instability among the strongest entities and creates urgency for the Demoness Sect to act.

Character Interactions

• Sifa and Audrey’s Time Projection: Sifa relies on Audrey’s Spectator abilities to manipulate and misdirect the Pale Empire’s scouts.
• Audrey and the scouts: Audrey hypnotizes them into behaving normally, concealing their capture and turning them into sources of false information.
• Hobbes and Catherine: Their secret meeting develops a temporary alliance. Hobbes presents the military plan, while Catherine weighs it against the Demoness Sect’s broader objectives.
• Hobbes and Don Quixote: Although they do not meet, Hobbes frames Don Quixote as an enemy to be trapped between the Rose School’s forces and the Pale Emperor.
• Catherine and the Primordial: The Primordial’s revelation shapes Catherine’s priorities and heightens her fear of Don Quixote’s potential advancement.
• Emlyn and the Rose School: Emlyn’s confusion over their presence in Trier sets up a likely future encounter or investigation.

Chapter Summary: “The Sanguine Take Action”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Father Utravsky questions Emlyn about the Rose School’s presence in Trier, noting that Emlyn had failed to mention that the organization had been driven from the Southern Continent.
• Emlyn learns from a local Sanguine named Toby that the Rose School recently fought the Iron and Blood Cross Order, a Hunter organization, in Trier.
• The conflict was followed by the destruction of the town of Lief. Authorities concealed the supernatural battle by blaming it on a gas leak, though witnesses reported seeing flames, Giants, and enormous trees.
• Father Utravsky identifies the great tree as Suah, the Rose School’s leader and a Sequence 1 Angel.
• Emlyn reassures the others that they will not be expected to confront Suah, since stronger Angels will handle that threat. The Sanguine’s role is limited to a specific operation.
• The group arrives at 12 Rister Street, where three Rose School members are hiding: a Wraith, a Zombie, and a Werewolf.
• Emlyn orders the Sanguine to focus only on this house and preferably capture the targets alive. He assigns himself the Wraith, Father Utravsky the Zombie, and the other Sanguine the Werewolf.
• The team prepares to launch its assault.

Character Developments

• Emlyn White demonstrates his growing authority as a Sanguine Earl. Young Sanguine treat him with deep respect and compete for his attention, seeing him as the future leader of their race.
• Emlyn reflects on how much he has changed. He was once an isolated Sanguine who preferred staying home with his dolls, but he has become confident, powerful, and responsible for leading others.
• Although he still enjoys dolls, they no longer dominate his life, showing that he has matured without completely abandoning his former personality.
• Emlyn also displays a mixture of pride and self-awareness. He enjoys acting like a dignified Earl, even allowing Toby to help him out of the carriage so he can project authority.
• Toby is eager to impress Emlyn and prove his usefulness. His ambition is rewarded when Emlyn appoints him as an assistant.
• Father Utravsky remains imposing and enigmatic. His massive physique and greatsword frighten the other Sanguine, but he calmly provides important knowledge about Suah and accepts his assigned target without hesitation.

Significant Themes

• The rise of a new leader: Emlyn’s status reflects a changing era for the Sanguine. Older nobles are aging or entering extended slumber, while Emlyn represents the hope and future of the race.
• Transformation and maturity: Emlyn’s changing relationship with his dolls and his willingness to lead demonstrate how time and responsibility have reshaped him.
• Hidden supernatural conflict: Authorities disguise extraordinary battles as mundane accidents, emphasizing the secrecy surrounding the supernatural world.
• Power and hierarchy: The presence of Sequence 1 Angels, Saints, Demigods, Earls, and lesser Sanguine highlights the rigid supernatural power structure.
• Cooperation among factions: The Sanguine are participating in a larger operation with other powerful forces, recognizing that they cannot confront ancient organizations like the Rose School alone.

Character Interactions

• Father Utravsky challenges Emlyn for information about the Rose School, prompting the investigation into its activities.
• Toby respectfully reports the intelligence gathered by the Trier Sanguine and eagerly seeks Emlyn’s approval.
• Emlyn asserts his authority by questioning Toby, appointing him as an assistant, and directing the operation.
• Father Utravsky and Emlyn coordinate their assignments, with Utravsky taking responsibility for the Zombie while Emlyn handles the Wraith.
• The remaining Sanguine are tasked with confronting the Werewolf, establishing a clear division of responsibilities before the attack begins.

Summary: “The Next Phase”

Plot and Key Events

• Haiman the Wraith, a Southern Continent exile, smokes his last supply of rare “East Balam Tobacco” while discussing the Rose School’s expected return to the Southern Continent.
• His companions—a powerful Zombie and a bloodthirsty Werewolf—express excitement about reclaiming their former lives. They reveal that the Rose School will cooperate with the Demoness Sect, despite their mutual unease.
• Emlyn White, the Sanguine Earl, launches a surprise attack on the group. He strikes Haiman with a crimson-moonlight arrow that begins transforming Haiman’s body and spirit.
• Haiman counters by unleashing a freezing, gloomy-green attack and attempts to possess Emlyn, but Emlyn’s moonlight-based abilities prevent him from taking control.
• Father Utravsky bursts into the house wearing Dawn Armor and engages the Zombie in a brutal physical and supernatural duel. His radiant greatsword and storm-like attack overpower the Zombie.
• The Werewolf tries to escape but is restrained by shadowy chains. Toby the Sanguine attacks him with corrosive claws, leaving him severely wounded and enabling his capture.
• Haiman and the Zombie are killed, and their Beyonder Characteristics are extracted. The Werewolf survives and is taken prisoner for interrogation.
• The following day, Toby reports that the captured Werewolf revealed the Rose School and Demoness Sect’s plan: they intend to reclaim Abidos, a city on the Star Highlands that once served as the Rose School’s headquarters.
• Emlyn learns that Abidos is now ruled by Don Quixote, the Rose School’s greatest enemy—the person who drove them from the city and the Southern Continent. Emlyn realizes Don Quixote is likely an alias of “Mr. Chariot,” someone connected to the Tarot Club, and is impressed by his apparent power.

Character Developments

• Haiman is portrayed as nostalgic for his homeland and resentful of exile, clinging to his final cigarette as a symbol of his former life. His confidence collapses when Emlyn’s attack catches him off guard, and he is ultimately killed.
• The Zombie demonstrates immense physical resilience, briefly resisting Father Utravsky’s devastating attacks, but is eventually defeated by the Father’s superior holy power.
• The Werewolf shows pragmatic self-preservation by abandoning his allies and attempting to flee. His capture turns him into the source of crucial intelligence.
• Emlyn White acts decisively and efficiently as an active hunter of the Rose School. He displays growing confidence in his abilities and takes pride in his connection to the powerful “Mr. Chariot.”
• Father Utravsky continues to function as Emlyn’s powerful ally, combining overwhelming strength, defensive armor, and purifying light.
• Toby the Sanguine proves his loyalty and combat usefulness by subduing the fleeing Werewolf.

Significant Themes

• Exile and homesickness: Haiman’s final cigarette represents the Rose School members’ longing for the Southern Continent and their former lives.
• Violence and repression: The Rose School members are characterized by cruelty and a desire for unrestricted violence, contrasting with their forced restraint in Trier.
• Factional alliances: The Rose School and Demoness Sect temporarily unite despite ideological and personal discomfort, emphasizing the shifting political landscape among supernatural organizations.
• Power and reputation: Don Quixote’s ability to expel the Rose School establishes him as a major force, while Emlyn’s admiration shows how reputations spread through supernatural circles.
• The next stage of conflict: The battle serves as a prelude to a larger campaign, with Abidos becoming the likely center of future confrontation.

Character Interactions

• Haiman and his companions discuss their exile and planned return, revealing their shared loyalty to the Rose School.
• Emlyn attacks Haiman directly, while Haiman attempts—and fails—to possess him.
• Father Utravsky battles the Zombie in a contest between undead durability and radiant holy power.
• Toby captures the Werewolf, later reporting his confession to Emlyn.
• Emlyn connects Don Quixote to Mr. Chariot and privately celebrates knowing someone powerful enough to threaten the Rose School and potentially challenge the level of a True God.

Forest Under the Night — Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sifa’s intuition gives him a vague warning, though he cannot determine its source or significance.
• His army enters the primeval forest southwest of the Sighing Wall mountain range. Waliwa County has stationed scouts and troops there, showing that the Pale Empire is on high alert.
• Because the Pale Empire’s Beyonders follow the Death Pathway, especially the Spirit Medium Sequence, they can gather information through Nature Spirits and the souls of the dead. To keep the army’s arrival secret, Sifa’s newly founded Blood Knights begin eliminating enemy Beyonders in the forest.
• Through a Prayer Light Point linked to Alexander Satan, Sifa observes the Blood Knights preparing an ambush.
• Pete the Gatekeeper learns through his controlled Nature Spirits that Waliwa County’s forces are assembling to conduct their own reconnaissance. Alexander orders the Blood Knights to divide, remain concealed, and destroy the enemy force when it leaves camp.
• Commander Aik gathers his officers and rebukes their reluctance to undertake the mission. He orders them to follow him into the forest.
• Aik reflects on the Pale Empire’s history: descendants of the Ancient Balam Empire, led southward by Empress Sia Palenque Eggers after Salinger’s fall. The empire has remained isolated behind the mountains and plains, quietly rebuilding its strength.
• Although the Pale Empire has enjoyed peace under the Empress, Aik gained real battlefield experience during the recent conflict in East Balam. He distrusts the scouts’ overly normal reports and suspects they have been manipulated or deceived.
• Aik leads his force deep into the forest and releases undead as scouts. Once the group is far from camp, he realizes that all of his undead scouts have mysteriously disappeared.

Character Developments

• Sifa: Remains cautious and observant, using his Prayer Light Point to monitor the Blood Knights while recognizing that something may be hidden from him.
• Alexander Satan: Demonstrates strong tactical leadership, coordinating the Blood Knights through silent mental communication and planning an ambush.
• Pete the Gatekeeper: Shows the scope of his abilities by controlling nearly all the Nature Spirits and undead in the forest, depriving the enemy of similar resources.
• Aik: Emerges as a stern but capable commander. Though harsh with his officers, he possesses practical military judgment and recognizes that the scouts’ reports are suspicious. His previous wartime experience makes him more alert than the sheltered officers under his command.
• The Blood Knights: Operate with discipline and coordination, using concealment, supernatural surveillance, and division of forces to prepare for a surprise attack.

Significant Themes

• Information and deception: The chapter emphasizes the importance of intelligence in supernatural warfare, where spirits and the dead can reveal secrets—but can also be manipulated.
• Complacency versus experience: The Pale Empire’s long peace has made many officers soft and reluctant, while Aik’s limited combat experience gives him a more realistic understanding of danger.
• Hidden history and restoration: The Pale Empire is revealed as a continuation of Ancient Balam, secretly preserving its civilization and pursuing the Empress’s goal of restoring the empire.
• Ambush and unseen control: The forest becomes a battlefield dominated by concealed forces, supernatural surveillance, and the disappearance of scouts.
• The limits of intuition: Sifa senses that something is wrong but cannot yet identify the threat, suggesting that greater dangers are developing beyond his immediate awareness.

Character Interactions

• Alexander communicates directly with the Blood Knights through mental links, ordering them to split up and remain silent.
• Pete reports the enemy’s movements to Alexander through his Nature Spirits, allowing the Blood Knights to coordinate their ambush.
• Aik confronts his officers’ complaints, intimidating them into obedience and reminding them of their ancestors’ hardships.
• Aik’s suspicions about the scouts’ reports contrast with the officers’ initial reluctance, highlighting the difference between experienced caution and military complacency.
• The chapter ends with Aik’s forces unknowingly entering the Blood Knights’ prepared killing zone, after their undead scouts vanish without warning.

Chapter Summary: “Blood Knights’ First Battle”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Aik, a Death Pathway Gatekeeper, realizes he has been ambushed when a massive pillar of Holy Light descends through the forest.
• The Light Priest, Lorena Vaskahn, attacks Aik. Though Holy Light is less effective against Death Pathway Beyonders, Aik’s connection to death makes him especially vulnerable to Sun-based divine powers.
• Aik uses a bone fragment to release gray smoke filled with afflicted faces, reducing the Holy Light’s damage and allowing him to escape the pillar.
• Aik summons a pair of Bronze Gates leading toward the Underworld. Horrific undead creatures emerge, while the gates’ suction attempts to drag Lorena inside.
• Lorena counters with Solar Halo and Fire of Light, burning away the creatures and weakening the gate with another pillar of sacred light.
• While Lorena occupies Aik, the rest of the Blood Knights attack the opposing Beyonders:
  • Alexander Satan, an Iron-blooded Knight, transforms his body into iron and charges into the enemy formation, scattering the officers.
  • A hidden Flame Spear kills a Gravedigger instantly.
  • Krissen Yaber, a Faceless, ambushes a Spirit Medium. He confuses the opponent with fake gunshot sounds, then uses genuine Air Bullets and a card attack to kill him.
  • Raylin Fars, an Ocean Songster, sings a despair-inducing song and follows it with lightning arrows and Wind Blades, overwhelming two Corpse Collectors.
  • Another Spirit Guide is killed when Alexander crushes his head.
• By the end of the battle, only Aik remains alive among Waliwak County’s Beyonders. Sifa, observing through a Prayer Light Point, recognizes that the Blood Knights’ first battle has proceeded smoothly.
• The Blood Knights turn their attention toward completing Aik’s execution.

Character Developments

• Aik demonstrates the defensive and summoning abilities of a Gatekeeper, using the Underworld gate and afflicted smoke to survive powerful holy attacks. However, he is increasingly isolated as his allies are eliminated.
• Lorena Vaskahn is established as a disciplined, calm, and formidable Light Priest. He resists Aik’s terrifying summons through purification and solar powers rather than panic.
• Alexander Satan proves himself a direct and physically overwhelming combatant, relying on iron-like durability and brutal close-range attacks.
• Krissen Yaber showcases the versatility and deceptive nature of the Faceless pathway. His ability to imitate sounds and disguise the timing of his attacks exploits the Spirit Medium’s inexperience.
• Raylin Fars combines emotional and elemental abilities, using song to induce despair before attacking with lightning and wind.
• Sifa acts as an overseeing commander or observer, evaluating the Blood Knights’ performance from a distance.

Significant Themes

• Light versus death and corruption: Holy and solar powers directly oppose Aik’s death-aligned abilities and the Underworld creatures he summons.
• Teamwork and tactical coordination: Lorena contains Aik while the other Blood Knights systematically eliminate the surrounding enemies.
• Experience versus unfamiliar powers: The Spirit Medium’s inability to distinguish Krissen’s false sounds from real attacks highlights how lack of combat experience can be fatal.
• Deception and unpredictability: Krissen’s Faceless abilities show how misdirection can defeat an opponent who depends on correctly reading supernatural attacks.
• Overwhelming force and inevitability: Once the enemy formation breaks, the battle becomes a controlled hunt, leaving Aik isolated and surrounded.

Character Interactions

• Aik and Lorena engage in the chapter’s central duel: Aik attempts to pull Lorena into the Underworld, while Lorena burns away the summoned horrors and weakens the Bronze Gate.
• Alexander disrupts the enemy officers by charging directly into them, creating openings for the other Blood Knights.
• Krissen and the Spirit Medium engage in a psychological battle, with Krissen’s feigned gunshots and real Air Bullets confusing and ultimately killing the Spirit Medium.
• Raylin pressures the Corpse Collectors from range, combining his despair-inducing song with lightning and wind attacks.
• The Blood Knights collectively surround Aik after defeating the other Waliwak County Beyonders, preparing to deliver the final blow under Sifa’s observation.

Aik reported that the Shortcut was safe, and Elrait ordered his army to prepare to confront the invaders. The invaders devastated Prey Town and surged toward Rokea City as a vast black army.

• Aik sent a guard to tell Elrait that the invaders had not discovered the Shortcut.
• After receiving Aik's report, Elrait ordered Datai to gather the army and prepare to meet the invaders.
• Fireballs struck Prey Town, destroying much of the town and its church and killing the clergy inside.
• Cavalry, infantry, and supply wagons passed through Prey Town without stopping to attack the survivors.
• The blacksmith's apprentice climbed a tree and saw the invaders' forces converging toward Rokea City.