Chapter Summaries

Hilla tried to hold the Numinous Episcopate together as she feared the returned God of Death might be Azzik, the Death Consul. Lucifer and Bound God Tolzna confronted her, confirmed Azzik’s return, and challenged her to surrender, but Hilla refused to yield without a fight.

• Hilla considered the danger of massacring wavering members and suspected that Azzik, the missing Death Consul, had returned as the God of Death.
• A visitor warned Hilla that the Artificial God of Death Faction had rebelled, but she realized the visitor was an illusion and met Lucifer instead.
• Lucifer introduced himself as a member of the Troublemaker's Club, while Bound God Tolzna cursed Hilla and forced her to transfer the curse to an undead creature.
• Hilla recognized Tolzna and learned from Lucifer that Azzik stood behind the returned God of Death as the Numinous Episcopate's legitimate heir.
• Hilla refused Lucifer's offer to surrender without fighting, so Lucifer told Tolzna to beat her up.

Azzik arrived at the Artificial God of Death Faction’s headquarters and told Hytel that the Nether Monarch would not return, revealing his intention to transform the Numinous Episcopate. As Hytel struggled to decide whether to support him, a disturbance came from the territory of the Royalist Faction.

• Hytel waited anxiously at the headquarters, preparing to resist if the Goddess of the Night or the God of Combat appeared instead of the God of Death.
• Azzik emerged from a Netherworld Gate with three young men and greeted Hytel, who was excited to see the Death Consul again.
• Hytel asked when the Nether Monarch would awaken, and Azzik replied that the Nether Monarch would not return.
• Azzik challenged Hytel over the Artificial God of Death plan, arguing that it had created a new God of Death rather than awakened the Nether Monarch.
• Hytel sensed a disturbance from the Royalist Faction’s territory, where Pale Empress Siya resided.

Azzik forced Hytel to submit and laid out plans to unify and reform the Numinous Episcopate. Luo Lin reflected on restraining the gods’ influence over mortals, while Azzik dropped his Death Consul act after Hytel left.

• Azzik told Hytel that he would tolerate no rival voice in the Numinous Episcopate, and Hytel knelt and pledged his loyalty.
• Azzik said he would unify the Numinous Episcopate and reform its members, and Hytel accepted his orders.
• Luo Lin considered how churches could still serve people while divine authority was restrained so gods could not easily shape human affairs.
• Azzik ordered Hytel to gather and suppress the Numinous Episcopate’s members and compile a roster.
• After Hytel left, Azzik rubbed his face and relaxed, while Klein and Luo Lin commented on his cold demeanor and Little Amon suggested the open Netherworld Gate made the room cold.

Bound God Tolzna defeated Hilla and stopped only when Luo Lin ordered him to, prompting Hilla to submit to Luo Lin while refusing to serve Azzik unless Azzik could defeat her. Luo Lin claimed to be an ordinary Sequence 2 and asked Tolzna to explain his obedience, leaving Tolzna to answer that Luo Lin’s will was his own.

• Azzik ordered the skeletal undead to suppress unrest in the Numinous Episcopate, closed the Netherworld Gate, and took the three youngsters out to investigate.
• Hilla surrendered after Bound God Tolzna nearly turned her into a rabbit again, but Tolzna continued attacking until Luo Lin told him to stop.
• Hilla bowed to Luo Lin but said she would not submit to Azzik unless Azzik defeated her, even if refusing meant death.
• Luo Lin claimed he was only an ordinary Sequence 2 and asked Tolzna to explain why he obeyed him.
• Tolzna considered how to respond and told Luo Lin, “Your will is my will.”

Luo Lin teased Hilla while Bound God Tolzna explained that he served Luo Lin because he had saved him from the Desire Mother Tree. After Medici returned from defeating the Royalist Faction, Luo Lin spared Hilla on the condition that she assist Azzik and atone for her sins, explaining that Azzik was already atoning by reforming the Numinous Episcopate.

• Bound God Tolzna told Hilla that Luo Lin had removed some of his contamination and protected him from the Desire Mother Tree, confirming that Luo Lin was no ordinary Sequence 2.
• Luo Lin teased Hilla, and Medici arrived after defeating the rest of the Royalist Faction with the help of the Conqueror characteristic.
• Luo Lin told Hilla she did not need to submit to Azzik but had to assist him without pay until she atoned for her sins, and Hilla agreed.
• Hilla asked why Azzik did not have to pay for his past sins, and Luo Lin said Azzik had not acted of his own will and was atoning by reforming the Numinous Episcopate.

After Azzik returned as the God of Death and took control of the Numinous Episcopate, Luo Lin and Medici began planning to reform its members and manage its vast resources. Luo Lin noticed that Hytel’s records were missing information about the Artificial God of Death.

• Azzik suppressed Siya, brought Hytel under his control, and united the Numinous Episcopate under his authority.
• Hytel presented Azzik with documents detailing the Episcopate’s membership and assets, and Luo Lin noted its wealth and scale.
• Luo Lin told Medici that they would have to help reform the Episcopate’s members, and Medici insisted Luo Lin share the work.
• Luo Lin told Siya she would be among the first members reformed and explained that the goal was to teach members to obey rules, not to brainwash them.
• Luo Lin pointed out that Hytel’s records lacked information about the Artificial God of Death.

Luo Lin questioned Hytel and Hilla about the Artificial God of Death, revealing their different attitudes toward Azzik and the Death Uniqueness. He warned Hilla to obey him, then sent her to work while considering how to keep her ambitions in check.

• Luo Lin asked Hytel for information about the Artificial God of Death, and Hytel realized the plan might have caused Azzik trouble and apologized.
• Hilla observed that Azzik had not fully accommodated the Death Uniqueness and admitted she had hoped to obtain it, but knew Luo Lin would not allow it.
• Luo Lin told Hilla he did not trust her and warned that he would kill her if she challenged him without being able to defeat him.
• Hilla agreed to work for Luo Lin, and he instructed her to use her knowledge of the Royalist Faction.
• Medici noted that Luo Lin had deliberately tested Hytel and Hilla, and Luo Lin considered finding another way to deter Hilla from pursuing the Death Uniqueness.

Luo Lin reviewed the Artificial God of Death plan and arranged for Azzik to help reshape its image before attempting to restore him. After returning to Backlund, Luo Lin met the Goddess of the Night in a dream, where they exchanged jokes and she explained that she had learned to be ruthless to survive.

• Luo Lin read Hytel's materials on the Artificial God of Death plan and confirmed that reshaping people's perception of it could help separate Azzik's soul from the Death uniqueness.
• Luo Lin assigned Azzik the work of altering the Artificial God of Death's image and arranged the Numinous Episcopate's transformation.
• Medici warned Luo Lin that the Goddess of the Night was an old fox, but Luo Lin returned to Backlund and prayed to her before sleeping.
• The Goddess of the Night entered Luo Lin's dream, where he teased her about having eight legs and she clarified that the extra limbs were arms.
• The Goddess of the Night told Luo Lin that the world was not gentle and that she had no choice but to become cold to survive.

Luo Lin and the Goddess of the Night discussed her fear of his inhuman nature and why she had chosen to trust him. After she vowed to oppose him if he ever threatened the world, Luo Lin recalled sacrificing himself to stop someone from destroying his world, and she pointed out that he was still alive.

• Luo Lin asked the Goddess of the Night what she had originally thought he was, and she described him as an impostor concealing a monster.
• The Goddess of the Night admitted she had considered attacking Luo Lin but held back because she sensed power beyond Sequence 0 and trusted the Sun God’s concern for the world.
• She explained that Luo Lin’s actions, including his work in Border City, convinced her he was currently on humanity’s side, and that she had shared information about him with Lilith.
• Luo Lin observed that the Goddess of the Night still feared him, and she vowed to drag him into destruction if he ever tried to destroy the world.
• Luo Lin recalled sacrificing himself to stop someone from destroying his world, and the Goddess of the Night replied that he was still alive.

Luo Lin and the Goddess of the Night discussed his ties to humanity and the coming apocalypse, then negotiated over Azzik and the God of Death's Uniqueness. The Goddess of the Night asked Luo Lin to help ensure the God of War died, leaving their deal to be settled.

• Luo Lin told the Goddess of the Night that he had eaten Him and said he could make this world his own if he gained enough anchors.
• The Goddess of the Night offered help suppressing Salinger, explaining that she was betting Luo Lin's anchors would keep him on humanity's side.
• Luo Lin said he hoped the Goddess of the Night would win her bet and agreed that he did not want everyone to turn against him.
• The Goddess of the Night said Luo Lin could still bargain by helping her, since the God of War had to die despite the difficulties in Loen.

Luo Lin reached an agreement with the Goddess of the Night to help kill the God of War in exchange for the Church of Evernight’s support for his revolution. After arranging for Arianna to assist him, he assessed the revolution’s prospects and identified Intis and the Original God as major threats.

• Luo Lin realized the Goddess of the Night wanted the God of War dead partly because of Omebella, and agreed to help her kill him in exchange for the Church of Evernight’s alliance.
• Luo Lin summoned Arianna, who confirmed that the Goddess of the Night had assigned her to assist with the revolution.
• Luo Lin gave Arianna Das Kapital to read and asked her to send him a list of the Church members available to help.
• Luo Lin judged that the revolution could proceed in Loen, Feneport, the Southern Continent, and Fosac, but that Intis would be its biggest regional problem.
• Luo Lin worried that the Original God might cooperate with the Outer Gods and concluded that reviving the Sun God was important to give him enough humanity to suppress God.

Luo Lin told Medici that the Goddess of the Night would support his reforms and help suppress Salinger’s awakening within Azzik. He then informed Azzik, whose new safety made him confront whether to remain a Death Consul or pursue the Uniqueness.

• Luo Lin told Medici about the Goddess of the Night’s support, and Medici complained about the growing workload of the reforms.
• Luo Lin said he did not completely trust the gods and asked whether Medici trusted him; Medici said he trusted Luo Lin not to destroy the world unless driven into a corner.
• Luo Lin found Azzik compiling a new Holy Book and told him the Goddess of the Night would help suppress his father’s awakening.
• Luo Lin asked Azzik what he planned to do about the Uniqueness, and Azzik considered whether to stay a Death Consul or seek greater power.

Azzik chose to accommodate Death’s Uniqueness so he could protect his family, and Luo Lin confirmed that the Goddess of the Night and the True Creator supported him as the next Death. Hilla learned that she might have been groomed as a vessel for Salinger’s revival, while Klein prepared to advance to Faceless amid Luo Lin’s busy days.

• Azzik told Luo Lin he wanted to become strong enough to protect his family and friends, and Luo Lin urged him to compile his Holy Book and prepare to resist madness, divinity, and the Original’s revival.
• Luo Lin revealed to Hilla that Azzik was backed by him, the Goddess of the Night, and the True Creator, and warned her against opposing Azzik.
• Azzik told Hilla that the Royalist Faction had led her down the wrong path and suggested she might have become a vessel for Salinger; Hilla realized the danger and became despondent.
• Klein prepared and drank the Faceless Potion while Little Amon, Jack, and Medici commented on potions and the Spectator pathway.

Klein advanced to Sequence 6 Faceless with a crowd of companions gathered to support him. Afterward, he tried impersonating Medici and discovered that his height was a problem, so Lucifer gave him a mask to compensate.

• Luo Lin joked about the many people and safeguards present as Klein prepared to advance, while the others explained why they had come to watch.
• Klein drank the Faceless Potion and successfully advanced to Sequence 6.
• Klein used his new abilities to take on Medici's appearance, but Medici mocked him for being too short.
• Will suggested shoe lifts, but Luo Lin, wearing Lucifer's identity, gave Klein a mask that could make up the height difference.
• Jack reassured Klein that he could become much taller after advancing further, and Klein's mood improved.

Luo Lin instructed Klein to learn from Medici and care for Little Amon, then spoke with Adam about the Eternal Blazing Sun and the struggle against God. Adam decided to seek genuine humanity through experience, while Luo Lin explained that he learned humanity through his relationships with others.

• Luo Lin told Klein to follow Medici and learn his act, and asked Klein to teach Little Amon about humanity.
• After the others left, Adam asked Luo Lin whether Oseus had survived in the original timeline.
• Luo Lin told Adam that The Sun had fallen after Oseus refused to submit to God.
• Adam explained why he feared God’s alliance with the Outer Gods, and Luo Lin said genuine humanity was needed to oppose him.
• Luo Lin urged Adam to encounter the people he had nearly sacrificed, and Adam agreed to undertake that journey.
• Adam asked how Luo Lin sought humanity, and Luo Lin said he learned through observing, befriending, and helping others.

Klein practiced impersonating Medici and learned that Little Amon's curiosity could get him into trouble. A polite crow that seemed to be another Amon arrived at Luo Lin's home and asked for water.

• Klein imitated Medici's sarcastic manner and earned Medici's approval to play the role.
• Luo Lin mentioned Medici's hot-pot death, and Klein warned Little Amon not to ask Medici about it.
• Little Amon called Medici “Mommy Little Red,” so Medici trapped him in an illusion of being cooked in a hot pot.
• Luo Lin reassured Klein that Little Amon was only seeing an illusion and warned him not to mistake the older Amon for a cute child.
• A crow with white rings around its eyes asked Klein to open the window, then landed on Medici's arm and requested water.

Crow Amon informed Luo Lin that something had happened among the people from the Land Abandoned by God, and Luo Lin went to investigate. Amon revealed that the people of Silver City and Moon City had been dreaming under the influence of Mother Goddess’s power, which made them forget their dreams.

• Crow Amon introduced himself as a polite, civilized crow created by Amon’s main body, then forgot why he had come and checked a note.
• Crow Amon remembered that Amon had sent him to tell Luo Lin to investigate something happening among the people from the Land Abandoned by God.
• Luo Lin left Klein and Little Amon to pack and traveled with Crow Amon to the new settlement of Silver City and Moon City.
• Luo Lin found the people building their new home and asked Amon what had happened.
• Amon explained that the people had been dreaming of interesting things and that Mother Goddess’s power had made them forget their dreams.

Luo Lin investigated the Mother Goddess’s influence on the people of Silver City and Moon City, while discussing identity and survival with Amon. After removing the hidden danger from them, he realized he needed to find them a new place to settle.

• Luo Lin suspected the Mother Goddess had targeted the people of the Land Abandoned by God because of his repeated attacks on her, and he asked Amon to arrange examinations for everyone.
• Amon said the people had only been affected by a small amount of the Mother Goddess’s power, but Luo Lin insisted they needed to be checked carefully.
• Luo Lin told Amon that Adam existed and suggested he meet the version who had fused with part of the Visionary Angel’s humanity.
• Amon reflected on his intuition that the Ancient Sun God, Sasrir, and Adam shared a secret, but said only the Ancient Sun God was his father.
• Amon explained that any surviving Avatar could become the main body, since all of them were Amon, and Luo Lin wondered whether this outlook was common among beings with many Avatars.
• Luo Lin examined the people of Silver City and Moon City and removed the Mother Goddess’s influence, then decided he had to find another place for them to settle.

Luo Lin planned to settle the people of Silver City and Moon City in Rune and retaliate against the Mother Goddess by testing a new method of suppressing contamination on Rosell. He then took Klein and Little Amon to Border City, where Medici had quietly established control and organized support for rescued girls.

• Luo Lin planned to move the people of Silver City and Moon City to Rune with help from the Church of Evernight, and decided to test his contamination-suppression procedure on Rosell.
• Luo Lin returned to the Numinous Episcopate headquarters, packed up Klein and Little Amon, and brought them to Border City.
• Luo Lin saw that Medici had quietly taken control of Border City, where the city’s inhabitants and its new patrols were busy with reform efforts.
• Dixie told Luo Lin that he was leading a patrol to address illicit sex trades, and Klein mocked him for treating Medici as his boss.
• Dixie explained that Medici had arranged vocational training and work opportunities for rescued girls, while perpetrators would face labor reform.

Luo Lin and Klein discussed Medici’s plans to rescue and support the girls of Red Street, then continued exploring the city with Little Amon. Little Amon learned that the people in Red Street were victims of misfortune and asked whether they had anything to do with them.

• Luo Lin praised Medici for arranging support to help rescued girls learn trades and return to society.
• Dixie explained that Medici had arranged follow-up aid, and Klein urged him and his men to hurry to rescue more girls.
• Luo Lin, Klein, and Little Amon continued looking around the city after Dixie left.
• Little Amon asked what Red Street was, and Luo Lin told him its inhabitants were pitiful people powerless to resist fate.
• Little Amon asked whether the people in Red Street had anything to do with them.