Chapter Summaries

Malinda showed Arthur her undead forces, and Arthur promised to support her as the Construct Maker’s attack turned against him. After Acker and Aivor captured the Construct Maker, Arthur searched the Lion Palace and found something hidden beneath it.

• Malinda revealed her undead forces to Arthur and explained that she had inherited her wealth and treasures from her parents.
• Arthur reassured Malinda that he could help her, while privately reflecting on the danger of the world and the people targeting him.
• The Construct Maker abandoned the fight rather than risk his true body, while Mr. Smith smashed the immobilized duplicates and grew hopeful that he could leave the Inner Bay with Rachel.
• Acker and Aivor found the Construct Maker, forced him out of his wooden disguise, and swallowed him in darkness.
• Arthur descended to the Lion Palace, sent rats beneath it to search, and found what he was looking for seventeen seconds later.

Arthur uncovered Edward the former Pirate King's secret room beneath the Lion Palace and read his notebook, which revealed Edward's betrayal by Death and a continuing ritual for the Seat of Deceit. Edward had hidden gold and left his ship to help kill Death, and Arthur turned his attention to the ship's wheel.

• Arthur used the Rat King's Crown to find a vast gold deposit and a secret room beneath the Lion Palace.
• Arthur found Edward's corpse and read the former Pirate King's notebook, learning of his past contract with White Robe and the War of the Gods.
• Arthur decoded the notebook and learned that Death had sought the Seat of Deceit, failed, and continued the ritual; Edward urged someone to use his ship against Death.
• Arthur read Edward's praise of the Old Count of South Los and considered what the count might know about Death and Blood.
• Arthur recognized the ship's wheel as his greatest prize.

Arthur claimed the White Crow, a legendary warship with a special power against Death, and prepared to lay the Pirate King Edward to rest. Meanwhile, the weakened Kidd hid among the miners until Arthur confronted him.

• Arthur examined the White Crow’s attributes and learned it could travel at extreme speed, fly, dive, traverse underground, and wield power against Death.
• Arthur destroyed the secret chamber and placed Edward’s remains in the Athos Box, intending to bury him on an island near South Los.
• Kidd, weakened and trapped in a miner’s body, hid among the zombie-like miners while waiting for Old Lion to return.
• Kidd chased away a group of rats, then heard someone ask, “Shall we talk?”

Arthur killed the Construct Maker, tested whether the Old Lion would return to the Inner Bay, and used the White Crow to reach a deep underground site for his ascension. He climbed to the fourth step, discovered three threads attached to him, and saw a battle through the thinnest one in which a man named “Death” was accused of betrayal.

• Arthur killed the Construct Maker while disguised as Count Bette, then burned the body to mislead the Old Lion about who had raided the gold mine.
• Arthur waited through the night and concluded that the Old Lion had stayed away from the Inner Bay, then used the White Crow to collect the Pirate King Edward’s gold and descend underground.
• Arthur performed the Great Orange ritual, spent XP to complete and perfect it, and encountered Aeolia and Mimi before beginning his ascension.
• Arthur climbed to the fourth step, where his Physique, Spirituality, Talent, and Bloodline advanced, but his intuition warned him that stepping onto the fifth would cost him something important.
• Arthur discovered three transparent threads attached to him and listened through the thinnest one, witnessing an old gentleman in black fighting three men.
• Arthur recognized that the old gentleman’s power shared a source with his Breath of Death, then heard the middle-aged man accuse him: “‘Death,’ you must atone for your betrayal!”

Arthur learned that the Old Count of South Los was alive and had become a demigod, while Aaron revealed himself as the Sword Saint Icarus during a battle against “Death.” Reunited with Old Charlie, Arthur learned that his grandfather had returned from the future after wagering against “Death,” but Old Charlie admitted he had once been a pawn of “Blood.”

• Arthur watched the Old Count of South Los attack “Death” alongside Aaron, who summoned his sword and struck “Death,” ending Arthur’s vision.
• Arthur concluded that Old Charlie had tricked “Death” and considered how to kill the rival being, then used Herke’s coconut clue to send his General Puppet toward the marked laboratory on Coconut Island.
• Arthur returned to the carriage and reunited with Old Charlie, who apologized for failing to protect him and explained that Arthur had been revived after drinking three bowls of soup.
• Old Charlie revealed that he had returned from the future after severing timelines, burning an Ancient God, and winning three wagers against “Death.”
• Arthur challenged Old Charlie’s account as too effortless, and Old Charlie confessed that he had once been a pawn of “Blood.”

Arthur questioned Old Charlie about his past and learned how he had been used as a pawn in the war between Blood and Death, as well as the truth behind the Shadow War and the War God’s Three-Piece Set. Old Charlie revealed that both Blood and Death had been responsible for what happened to Winters and Arthur’s mother, leaving Arthur willing to consider taking action.

• Arthur teased Old Charlie about his many lovers, then learned that Old Charlie planned to enter the Land of Eternal Rest to bring back his grandmother and the others he had sworn to restore.
• Old Charlie explained that Blood recruited him and ninety-six other talented youths as hidden pawns against Death, and that Icarus had adopted him as a weapon against Death.
• Old Charlie said he had obtained half of Death’s power and built a stage for Blood and Death to destroy each other because he no longer wanted to fight their war.
• Old Charlie revealed that the Emperor had tried to become the true God of War, but Shariko, Harrington, Liss, and Herke had stopped him and the War God’s Three-Piece Set had vanished.
• Arthur asked what had happened to Winters and his mother at Baker Farm, and Old Charlie said both Blood and Death were responsible.

Arthur learned from Old Charlie that the ritual for Death’s pursuit of Deception still existed and that every other version of Arthur had vanished, leaving him as the sole version across fate and reincarnation. Back on the Fourth Tier, Arthur resisted ascending to the Fifth Tier after his Spirituality warned him of a cost, then celebrated the completion of his Seventeenth Rank ritual.

• Old Charlie secretly told Arthur to keep Blood and Death focused on him while Arthur killed them, and revealed that Death’s ritual for Deception still existed.
• Old Charlie explained that he had seen many disastrous possibilities for Arthur and that pulling him back had made Arthur the sole version across fate and reincarnation.
• Arthur asked whether death would now be final, and Old Charlie confirmed that it would be.
• Old Charlie sent Arthur out of the carriage, returning him to the Fourth Tier beneath the starry sky.
• Arthur’s Spirituality warned him against taking the final step to the Fifth Tier, so he lowered his leg.
• Arthur received the completed Seventeenth Rank ritual and celebrated that his journey was not over.

Arthur completed his bloodline’s ascension and began eating gold to fuel its growth, while Barro’s potion-induced rage drove him toward violence. Dwelt fled Barro’s mansion with knowledge of the person advising him, giving himself a stronger bargaining chip for Lord Hayes.

• Arthur’s bloodline became complete, granting him powerful serpent abilities and enhanced physical strength and defenses.
• Arthur ate a basketball-sized lump of pure gold, raising his bloodline progress from 0/3000 to 30/3000.
• Barro spoke with his ally, who urged him to adapt to the Lesser Golden Potion’s flaws and promised a 90 percent chance of defeating Barro’s elder brother with the Mother Tiger’s help.
• Barro struggled against his rage and urged himself to wait two days before acting against Pistrie Hamlet.
• Barro snapped a scout’s limbs, tore into him, and became violently excited as Dwelt watched from the shadows.
• Dwelt escaped Barro’s mansion and headed to meet Lord Hayes, carrying the identity of the person on the Communication Crystal as leverage.

Hayes agreed to get Dwelt’s family to West Dean Fort in exchange for information, then learned that Barro had joined the Grand Duke of North County in a plot to assassinate the Old Lion. Meanwhile, Acker and Aivor killed the heads of the Seven Great Families for Arthur before a raven delivered them an ominous question.

• Manta and Annie spoke with Hayes about their future plans, and Dwelt arrived to ask for help evacuating his family.
• Hayes agreed to take Dwelt’s five relatives to West Dean Fort, and they signed a Contract binding the deal.
• Dwelt told Hayes that Barro and the Grand Duke of North County had conspired to assassinate the Old Lion.
• Hayes left to contact his friends, while Acker and Aivor secretly killed the heads of the Seven Great Families under Arthur’s orders.
• A raven appeared before Acker and Aivor and asked, “Do you know how to walk a dog?”

Hayes learned that Arthur had anticipated the threat of war and planned to keep it localized, while Jimte and Carral prepared to deliver Arthur’s invitation to Lady Cassandra. At St. Joan’s Girls’ Academy, Anna organized the students’ defenses, Pistrie planned a school for commoners, and Jimte invited Anna to a family gathering on Cassandra’s behalf.

• Hayes told Manta and Annie what he had learned, then discovered from Jimte and Carral that Arthur already knew about the impending war and had made arrangements to contain it.
• Hayes declared his loyalty to Arthur, and he and Manta embraced while Annie realized how much she missed Jimte.
• Jimte and Carral set out from the academy storeroom to meet Anna, carrying Arthur’s message despite Jimte’s misgivings about the task.
• Pistrie told no one his plans, but he hoped to hire academy teachers to educate commoners and eventually teach them trades.
• Anna assigned the student representatives to night watch and patrol duties, and Jimte invited her to a family gathering on Arthur’s behalf, scheduled for the next day at noon.

Arthur rejected Jimte and Carral’s proposal to eliminate Anna and trusted Malinda to handle her, while preparing for conflict and ordering William to act against North County. The chapter left William ready to receive Arthur’s new orders.

• Anna left after Jimte warned her to report any news, and Jimte and Carral asked Arthur for permission to kill her.
• Arthur refused to approve the plan, told Jimte and Carral to trust Malinda, and ate lapis lazuli to fill his [Seventeenth Rank] food reserves and advance his [Bloodline].
• Arthur spoke with Malinda, who agreed to talk with Anna, while Acker and Aivor kept Barro distracted.
• Arthur contacted William through their Contract and prepared to send the Corpse Lich against the Grand Duke of North County.
• William prayed in Silent Territory, where he commanded nearly five thousand men and had helped the young gardener avenge his wife.
• William sensed Arthur’s new orders, knelt, and declared himself ready to serve.

William turned the bandit chiefs into an undead army and secured the Little Florist’s loyalty, while Arthur and Malinda planned how to maneuver between the Grand Duke of North County and the Old Lion. In Kilger Harbor, Barro arrived at St. Joan’s Girls’ Academy demanding that Pistrie come out, then recognized the person who emerged.

• William raised the thirty-two bandit and robber chiefs as undead and ordered them to prepare an army for his master.
• The Little Florist pledged loyalty to William, heard his wife Ava’s voice, and agreed to lead an attack on the nobles of North County.
• Arthur and Malinda discussed using their cousin to hedge between the Grand Duke of North County and the Old Lion while they pursued their own advantage.
• A hundred-strong cavalry troop entered silent Kilger Harbor with a bruised and furious Barro Hamlet at its head.
• Barro called on Pistrie to leave St. Joan’s Girls’ Academy, then cried out in shock when someone appeared at the entrance.

Arthur Credos confronted Barro Hamlet, whose damaged Dueling Scroll suppressed part of Arthur’s defensive power but failed to make him vulnerable. After Barro’s attack broke his own hand, Arthur revealed that his [Death Serpent] bloodline had risen to Rank IV.

• Barro recognized the cloaked man who had humiliated him earlier and prepared to attack, but Pistrie Hamlet came out and begged him to stop.
• Barro struck Arthur, but Arthur’s defensive force field blocked the blow, and Barro’s Lion’s Spear also shattered against it.
• Arthur identified Barro’s scroll as a damaged Dueling Scroll combining residual Word of God power with Distortion, and Barro activated it to suppress Arthur’s force field.
• Barro attacked Arthur’s chest, but the blow twisted and broke the bones in Barro’s own hand.
• Arthur explained that his physique still protected him and revealed that his [Death Serpent] bloodline had reached Rank IV.

After devouring gold, Arthur’s bloodline advanced to Rank IV and granted him overwhelming powers, which he used to beat Barro during their confrontation. Barro tried to invoke his family’s honor and Pistrie’s intervention to shield himself, while Arthur began to reveal a golden light.

• Arthur’s bloodline advanced three ranks after he absorbed gold, granting him powerful serpent abilities and mastery of Sithidal’s authority as the River God.
• Arthur struck Barro twice, knocking out his teeth and sending him crashing through a house, while Barro continued to threaten him.
• Pistrie struggled to reconcile Barro’s pitiful behavior with the danger he had posed, and Arthur told him the world was an absurd amateur troupe.
• Barro appealed to Pistrie to defend the Golden Lion Family’s honor and insisted that only a family member should punish him.
• Arthur calmly questioned Barro’s claim as golden light began to flicker around him.

Feilong's stomachache improved, but he developed a fever that left him dizzy and aching. He decided to take another day off.

• Feilong's stomachache began to get better.
• Feilong developed a fever and felt dizzy, with aching bones.
• Feilong decided to take another day off and asked for forgiveness.

Arthur revealed the Lionheart King bloodline and won the allegiance of Inner Bay’s nobles and underworld forces, while Barro claimed outside enemies would decide the conflict. At Kilger Harbor, Drake Credos and Cassandra prepared to raise the pirate flag and help Arthur, their family.

• Arthur’s golden appearance and Lionheart King heartbeat prompted Jimte, Carral, Hayes, Anna, the academy crowd, and the Seven Great Families to kneel and welcome him as their prince.
• Barro accused the kneeling nobles of treachery and claimed that forces from beyond Inner Bay, including the Bette, Einhaas, and West Berlin families, had arrived as his killing blow.
• Arthur’s fifty Fighters led gang members, Bounty Hunters, and killers out of the shadows, and they knelt before him as well.
• At Kilger Harbor, Drake Credos’s ship waited amid the unrest, protected by Barro’s invitation and guarded by a rough crew.
• Cassandra told Drake that Arthur was family and urged him to raise the pirate flag and help their nephew.

Arthur faced Barro Hamlet and the Western Sea Pirate General as rival fleets converged on Kilger Harbor. Drake and the arriving allies pledged their support to Arthur, and Barro died of fright when Arthur confronted him.

• Drake's pirates bombarded the tax collector's office and Police Station, then Drake recognized Arthur as his nephew.
• Arthur's retainers stood by him as Drake bowed and welcomed him to the Inner Bay; Barro was struck in the face with a salted fish and vomited.
• Barro warned that nobles from other territories would contest the Inner Bay as the fleets of Bette, Einhaas, and West Berlin arrived.
• Drake's pirates prepared explosives and the Seven Great Families revealed hidden gun towers, but Arthur addressed the incoming allies instead of ordering an attack.
• Count Bette, Miss Windsor, and Yekaterina Otto von West Berlin declared their support for Arthur, and Arthur confronted Barro, who died of fright.

After Barro’s death, Arthur revealed his Golden Lion bloodline and used his newfound influence to restore order and celebrate across the Inner Bay. He reunited with his uncle Drake and aunt Cassandra, introduced them to Malinda, and left Malinda asking pointedly about three blondes from his past.

• News of Barro’s death and Arthur’s Golden Lion bloodline spread across South and North County, and Arthur gained 120,000 XP.
• Arthur assigned Jimte, Carral, and Hayes to organize a celebration, patrols, and an investigation into Barro Hamlet’s crimes; the Lionheart Salute strengthened the three men.
• The Seven Great Families cooperated with Arthur’s followers, while gang members helped maintain order and clean the streets as the Inner Bay celebrated.
• Arthur boarded the pirate ship and reunited with his uncle Drake and aunt Cassandra, who welcomed him home.
• Arthur introduced Malinda to Drake and Cassandra, then fled when Drake mentioned taking him to a club; Malinda asked Arthur about the three blondes.

Arthur reassured Malinda of his love, then met a Human Puppet modeled after Old Lion, who revealed that Severus Hamlet had died long ago and offered Arthur a charged fragment of a Ritual's power. Arthur recognized the fragment's significance, and [Bluff] reacted with intense hunger as the chapter ended.

• Arthur told Malinda he loved her, and she invited him to visit Anna with her.
• Arthur and Malinda confronted an apparent Old Lion, who sealed them off and revealed he was a Marshal Puppet created by Robin.
• The Deputy Marshal explained that Severus Hamlet had awakened and bound the Marshal Puppets with Contracts before his death, and that one Puppet now sought godhood using part of a Ritual's power.
• Arthur deduced that the Puppet had become a man, fathered children under the Old Lion's identity, and pursued the Ritual's goal of unifying South County.
• The Deputy Marshal offered Arthur a charged fragment of the Ritual, and Arthur's [Bluff] flashed as an overpowering hunger seized him.

Arthur outmaneuvered the Human Puppet Old Lion, who had tried to use their contract and Arthur’s blood to escape his limitations. After Arthur destroyed him and escaped the sealed space, he examined the Deception Ritual fragment he had kept.

• The Human Puppet Old Lion offered Arthur the orb of light in exchange for his blood and an oath of liberation, and they signed a contract.
• Arthur gave a drop of blood and spoke the liberation word, but the Old Lion revealed that he had planned to use the contract to become human and rise to godhood.
• The Old Lion’s plan failed, and Arthur revealed that he had taken the real Deception Ritual fragment rather than the false one.
• Arthur explained that he had investigated the Old Lion and knew about his trump card, then snapped his fingers and reduced him to dust.
• The sealed space shattered, and Arthur rejoined Malinda, hinting that he had met a delivery captain.