Chapter Summaries

Ash, Sonia, and Diya escaped the Gilded River’s accelerated time after nearly aging to death. Diya reminded them that some artificers had conquered time, and Ash and Sonia began to hope they might do the same.

• Ash escaped the golden mist and recovered from the accelerated aging that had withered his body and slowed his thoughts.
• Sonia said she would never return to the Gilded River, where the three had narrowly escaped dying of old age.
• Ash and Sonia learned that the Gilded River’s Dynamic Domain accelerated time enough to corrode artificers’ bodies and souls.
• Diya comforted Ash and Sonia and told them that artificers could conquer time.
• Ash and Sonia thought of the Divine Lords and began to desire the possibility of conquering time themselves.

Ash, Sonia, and Diya discussed how advancing in the Faction Realm could let their whole team enter the Distant Void Domain, then divided the Art Spirits they had scavenged in the Gilded River. Sonia insisted on taking Reverse Sun as a favor from Diya, leaving White Queen to privately tease her.

• Ash urged Sonia and Diya to raise their Faction Realms so they could help the team reach the Distant Void Domain.
• Ash and Sonia declined Diya’s suggestion to enter the Gilded River again right away.
• Ash, Sonia, and Diya inspected their Art Spirits, and Diya offered to trade Ten Years and Reverse Sun for the hour-minute-second Art Spirits Ash had found.
• Ash gave Diya his five Art Spirits but refused Reverse Sun, so Sonia asked Diya for it and promised to repay the favor.
• Diya gave Sonia both Reverse Sun and Ten Years, and White Queen privately told Sonia that she could be annoying when she acted silly.

Ash, Sonia, and Diya defeated a nearly mature Fish-Slaying Dragon and claimed its Spell Spirits and Swordsmanship Pearl before using up most of their energy. Sonia then spoke privately with Ash, asked about his safety, and learned that their deepening Bond kept them from meeting in reality, leaving her to regret the restriction.

• Ash, Sonia, and Diya killed a half-step-mature Fish-Slaying Dragon and captured its Spell Spirits and Swordsmanship Pearl.
• Ash took the Slash Sword Spell Spirit, Diya took Water Corrosion, and Sonia accepted the Swordsmanship Pearl.
• After the long battle depleted their Spell Power and Soul Energy, the three rested in their sports car and Diya went to practice her new Spell Spirit.
• Sonia asked Ash whether he could hear her inner thoughts, then asked about his safety and living situation.
• Ash told Sonia that their deepening Bond prevented them from meeting in reality, and Sonia privately regretted that the restriction had come at the wrong time.

Ash told Sonia he was safe but could not reveal details because of an Unfair Contract, and Sonia gave him the healing Spell Spirit Reverse Sun. Meanwhile, Diya and White Queen discussed why Sonia had given it to him.

• Ash told Sonia that he could not reveal details of his life in Gospel Country, but mentioned that he was safe, planning to blaspheme the Divine Lord, and looking after a child who called him Dad.
• Sonia described her growing fame at the academy, thanked Ash for his help, and briefly embraced him while giving him Reverse Sun.
• Sonia explained that she had taken Reverse Sun from Witch to give it to Ash, and Ash bound the Spell Spirit while acknowledging that he owed Sonia a favor.
• Ash warned Sonia not to let competition over him cause conflict among their group, and Sonia admitted that giving him Reverse Sun was not entirely about pleasing him.
• Diya complained that Sonia had taken their Spell Spirit to give to Ash, while White Queen suggested Sonia was concerned about his safety.

Liss woke tired after staying up to listen to her sisters, then joined the others for breakfast as Annan explained they were free until their official start date. Harvey challenged Annan for access to the First Basement Floor Sewer, but she forbade him from killing anyone and Bange reminded him that the Gospel was watching.

• Liss woke after a sleepless night and asked Ash to tie her hair, but Igula took over and braided it properly.
• Annan said the group could act freely until their official start date on May 10, prompting Harvey to complain that they were isolated from the outside world.
• Harvey demanded to go to the Sewer on the First Basement Floor after finding it through the Gospel.
• Annan warned Harvey that he could not kill anyone without her orders, while Butler Boy froze the cigarette butt Harvey had tossed from the balcony.
• Bange reminded Harvey that the Gospel monitored them and cautioned him not to diminish his value.

Ash, Igula, and Liss named their demands, and Annan offered to fulfill them if she could beat them at a game about knowing their companions. Meanwhile, Siffrin began hospital work and met Gerald and Serena, whose relationship left her stunned when Gerald said Serena was her child.

• Harvey provoked Annan by challenging her control over the group, and Annan asked everyone what they wanted in exchange for meeting their requests through a game.
• Igula requested access to the Veil, Ash asked for money to improve his gaming experience, and Liss listed clothes, Dolls, and sugar among her wishes.
• Siffrin completed a Life Reset surgery at Kaimeng University Affiliated Hospital and learned how the Fourth Emergency Medicine Department assessed patients through Memory Retrieval.
• Siffrin entered Biological Implantation Modification patient Serena's office and met Gerald, a Bloodfury Hunter who introduced Serena as his child.
• Siffrin recoiled in shock at Gerald's claim and asked if Gerald was actually a woman, prompting Gerald to request another doctor.

Annan introduced Guessing Heart to test her companions’ honesty and offered to grant a Wish to whoever beat her. The first round revealed that all six players wanted God Lord’s Wish, leaving the game underway.

• Annan explained Guessing Heart’s rules and promised to fulfill the Wish of anyone who outscored her.
• Harvey, Igula, Ash, and the others questioned how honesty and fair play would be enforced, so Annan swore an oath and barred everyone from using Spellcaster abilities.
• Annan proposed that if she won, the others would do something she wanted, then said the game would show her sincerity.
• Annan asked whether they wanted God Lord’s Wish, and everyone answered yes under the Contract.
• Annan wagered that all six had answered yes, and the revealed coins confirmed her guess; Bange said he had not decided what Wish he would make.

Annan used an anonymous question game to make the group guess one another’s hidden motives, and the first question revealed that two people would kill everyone else for God Lord's Wish. Suspicion spread among the group before the second question sparked a scuffle between Igula and Ash.

• Annan gave everyone anonymous note paper, collected their questions in a Black Box, and asked Bo Jin to host the game.
• Igula drew a question asking whether anyone would murder the other five for God Lord's Wish, and the group guessed how many people had answered yes.
• The answers revealed four no votes and two yes votes, leaving Igula and Ash to suspect that one another might be willing to kill for the wish.
• Liss guessed that two people had answered yes and won a point, while Ash noticed that Liss had begun looking at him with cold indifference.
• Igula drew the next question, which asked whether Igula should wear pretty girls' clothes, and rushed at Ash while accusing him of writing it.

During a Contract-bound guessing game, Ash and the others answered questions about love, self-sacrifice, and cooperation. The final reveal showed that Ash and Liss had voted to sincerely cooperate, leaving everyone surprised by Ash’s choice.

• Everyone correctly guessed that Igula had answered “No” to the previous question, voiding the round.
• Annan told Ash that God Lord’s Wish could bring into existence someone he loved, prompting him to reconsider whether he had anyone to love in this world.
• Four people answered “Yes” when asked whether they would give everything for someone they loved, while Ash answered “No.”
• Igula expected everyone to answer “No” about cooperating without the Contract, but Liss bet one coin, suggesting she had answered “Yes.”
• Ash bet two coins, and the reveal showed two “Yes” votes and four “No” votes; Ash insisted that he was not necessarily one of the people who answered “Yes.”

Annan rewarded Liss with a Wristband and offered the others paid tasks, while Ash tried to get access to Liss’s money and asked Harvey for Cat Grass. Igula took Liss into the Library and revealed he wanted to speak to the other person hiding inside her body.

• Annan gave Liss a bound Wristband with 10,000 Copper Coins and access to the Veil, shopping, and the Gospel.
• Igula and Harvey agreed to complete Annan’s tasks for compensation, while Ash asked if Harvey could do his work for him.
• Ash tried to persuade Liss to hand over her money, then asked Harvey for Cat Grass to test the Substitute’s poison resistance.
• Igula followed Liss into the Library, shut the door, and told her he wanted to find the other person hiding inside her body.

Igula discovered that Liss's personalities switched through mirrors and confronted her about her votes in the game. One personality explained that she had helped Annan undermine the group's trust so she could form an alliance with Ash, leaving Igula to realize her motive for answering yes to the third question.

• Igula played loud music and confronted Liss about her mirror-triggered personality changes.
• Liss switched personalities after looking into the mirror, and the new personality said they all used the name Liss around outsiders.
• Igula deduced that Liss had voted yes on the first question to control the result, and she confirmed that a violent sister had cast that vote.
• Liss admitted that her group had voted against their usual personas to collect the reward and follow Annan's arrangements.
• Liss explained that she had helped Annan weaken the group's trust so she could win Ash over as an ally.
• Igula realized that Liss had answered yes to the third question to improve the others' opinion of her.

Liss’s attempt to win the group’s favor failed when Ash’s unexpected sincerity drew most of their goodwill, while Igula privately recognized her identity and saw her and Ash as useful leverage. At the affiliated hospital, Siffrin discovered Serena lacked the nerves needed for her hands and feet, and Gerald arranged for her treatment while planning to ask a pink-haired Veela student to help care for her.

• Liss told Igula she had chosen the wrong answer about dressing as a woman on purpose, and Igula explained he had wagered on five answers to avoid revealing that he chose Yes.
• Igula admitted he had noticed Liss’s true identity but chose to speak to her privately, then said he considered her and Ash merchandise he could use.
• Siffrin examined Serena and discovered she had no nerve wiring for her hands and feet, though the hospital could treat her with costly colonization equipment.
• Gerald agreed to admit Serena for observation and treatment after learning the care would cost nearly eighty years of his wages.
• Serena said she did not want to stay in the hospital because Pink-Haired Sister planned to visit, and Gerald suggested hiring the Veela university student to care for her.

Liss and Igula negotiated a contract over Liss’s secret and control of Ash, agreeing that Igula would gain one use of Absolute Command Authority during the next 101 days and full control afterward. After the contract took effect, Liss began revealing what her Love Hunting ability had noticed about Annan and Harvey, and Igula turned up the Record Player to stop her.

• Liss refused to surrender her autonomy, and she and Igula bargained over how much control of Ash she would give him.
• Liss and Igula agreed that Igula would receive one use of Absolute Command Authority over Ash during the next 101 days and full control of him afterward.
• Igula drew up a contract promising to keep Liss’s secret and help conceal her Sisters, while Liss granted him the agreed control over Ash.
• Liss said Little Liss had objected to the deal, but she had persuaded her that selling Ash to Igula carried no risk.
• Liss described how her Love Hunting ability revealed Annan’s feelings for Bange and Harvey’s grief for his dead beloved.
• Igula turned the Record Player’s volume to maximum when Liss began to tell him what she had noticed about someone else.

After Ash cheated to defeat Diya in their fighting game, Diya joined the sisters in the Void Realm and tried to strengthen her ties with the Watcher and Sword Maiden. The chapter ended with Diya awkwardly asking to touch the Watcher’s hands.

• Ash knocked Liss from her chair to interrupt Diya’s combo, won the game, and fled while Diya angrily vowed revenge.
• Diya handed control of her body to Liss, who noticed her unused Copper Coins and opened the shopping store in the Veil.
• In the Void Realm, Diya complained about a man who had ruined their fair duel, and Sonia joined her in condemning him without realizing she was criticizing Ash.
• Diya’s inner sisters debated who should handle Void Realm exploration, and Diya retained the role while White Queen advised her to build her status with the Watcher.
• Diya tried to compliment the Watcher by asking to touch his hands, leaving Ash blinking and Sonia dumbfounded.

Ash, Sonia, and Diya captured the Fierce Wolf Dragons’ Resource Point and collected its rare materials. As Ash noticed Diya’s strikingly different personality, Sonia wondered what had changed, and Ash decided they should ask Diya directly.

• Ash, Sonia, and Diya defeated the Great Fierce Wolf Dragon and captured its nest, collecting wood, mercury, and sulfur.
• Ash discovered a crude machine that refined mercury into valuable materials, while Diya eagerly brought him resources and sought his approval.
• Sonia told Ash that Diya was much livelier and more easily pleased than the Witch they had met the previous night.
• Ash refused to gossip about Diya’s private life with Sonia and urged her to ask Diya directly.
• Ash took Sonia by the hand and led her to find Diya so they could ask about the change themselves.

Diya introduced the Witch Sisters to Ash and Sonia and learned that they approved of one another. Black White Witch Lysithea officially joined their team for future Void Realm exploration.

• Diya showed Ash and Sonia how she switched between the Witch Sisters and introduced White Queen, Red Death, and Black Butler.
• Diya explained that she led Void Realm exploration because she knew a little of what each Sister could do and was the only one eager to explore.
• Ash and Sonia praised the Sisters, making Diya happy because they rarely appeared before anyone else.
• Diya asked whether they were friends after sharing her secret, and Ash reassured her that they would have plenty of time together in the Void Realm.
• Black White Witch Lysithea officially joined the team.

Ash, Sonia, and Diya speculated that Time Continent might hold traces of an ancient civilization and discussed how such a civilization could have existed. Their talk ended with Ash proposing they search for ruins, while Sonia admitted she would have to ask her professor indirectly and doubted the professor knew much about the continent’s secrets.

• Ash questioned whether the Resource Point machines and the Fierce Wolf Dragon’s nest showed that another civilization had existed on Time Continent.
• Sonia, Diya, and Ash proposed different explanations, including a civilization of past Spellcasters or Knowledge Creatures, and Ash wondered whether the continent had once been ordinary land before the Celestial Cart Bull and Gilded River existed.
• Ash suggested that ruins of the ancient civilization might remain elsewhere on Time Continent, exciting Sonia and Diya.
• Sonia said she had found no information about ruins and could ask her professor by pretending to preview material, but she doubted the professor knew much about Time Continent’s secrets.

Ash and his companions discussed why School Faction spellcasters neglected the Void Realm’s secrets, then discovered an Artificer Projection traveling with a massive herd of Knowledge Creatures. They hid as the terrifying Heroic Soul Legion marched past, leaving them shaken and unharmed.

• Sonia explained that School Faction spellcasters focused on developing their Faction Realms, so little information about Time Continent had been recorded.
• Diya noted that wood at the Lumber Mill did not accumulate as expected, and Ash suggested ordinary materials might be collected by someone able to use them.
• Ash spotted an Artificer Projection on the Void Realm Map and drove toward it, hoping to claim its Spell Spirits and Sorcerer's Manual.
• Ash saw Scorpion Dragons and Thousand Feather Bird Dragons moving with the Artificer Projection, so Sonia urged the group to get out of their path.
• Ash and his companions hid beneath the Upstream Golden Rain as the legion passed, and Sonia identified it as the Heroic Soul Legion.

Ash, Sonia, and Diya debated whether to challenge a Heroic Soul Legion after it entered the Great Fierce Wolf Dragon’s nest, despite the danger and uncertain rewards. Ash proposed using an upgraded autocar to fight while keeping an escape route open, and prepared to reveal his driving skills.

• Sonia explained that Heroic Soul Legions were nearly impossible for ordinary Spellcasters to defeat, and Ash questioned whether their commanders were truly Artificer Projections.
• Ash argued that the Legion might conceal a secret connected to the Seven-Colored Tail, and Diya supported taking risks to pursue a legendary path.
• Sonia agreed to Ash’s plan but questioned whether they could defeat the Legion, while Diya suggested blocking the nest entrance with Back At It.
• Ash rejected Diya’s approach and revealed that the Legion had entered the Great Fierce Wolf Dragon’s nest, where the narrow terrain might give them an advantage.
• Ash decided to upgrade the autocar so they could attack the Heroic Soul Legion while retaining a way to escape.

Demilo remembered how Vosrodar had given him a new name and a reason to endure, then reflected on his quest to recover the emotions he had lost in Sixfold Hell. When a Steel Monster carrying three Spellcasters burst into Resource Point No. 73, Demilo ordered his troops to surround them, but the vehicle answered with a gas blast and a cheeky remark.

• Demilo recalled being taken to the Pigeon Fish Cage at thirteen, where Vosrodar welcomed him and named him Demilo.
• Demilo explained that Heroic Spirits had lost their emotions in Sixfold Hell and needed to recover six fragments to restore their souls.
• Demilo discovered that the cavern’s materials and Fierce Wolf Dragons had vanished, then suspected an enemy force had taken them.
• A Steel Monster charged into the cavern and broke through the Scorpion Dragons’ defensive line.
• Demilo sent the Thousand Feather Bird Dragons and Scorpion Dragons to encircle the three Spellcasters inside the Steel Monster.
• The Steel Monster released dark green gas across the cavern, and one of its occupants joked about enjoying a run after farting.