Chapter Summaries

Ash and his companions overcame stage 34’s Soul Haunting Dream by using the Overcoat Slumber Miracle to protect their souls. After clearing the trial, Ash settled on a guardian role in the Phantom Inheritance.

• Ash and the others spent three days preparing for stage 34 after Soul Haunting Dream nearly killed them on their first attempt.
• Vesir used the Phantom Manual to identify the trial and discovered that a solid soul or a Miracle holding the soul could resist it.
• Ash used Soul Refining, Soul Armor, and Sleep Soul to cast Overcoat Slumber, drawing the three Sword Maidens’ souls into his protection as the purple smoke surrounded them.
• After five minutes, Soul Haunting Dream faded, the group cleared the trial, and three reward light orbs appeared.
• Ash explained that his Silver Soul School let him cast the Miracle and chose the guardian route, leaving him responsible for taking enemy attacks.

Ash and the others reached the Phantom Inheritance’s thirty-fifth stage, where they were turned into children and faced a drawing trial. Ash realized the transformation had regressed their memories and consciousness as well as their bodies, leaving the group to figure out their situation.

• After canceling the Overcoat Slumber miracle, Ash woke Sonia and Diya, while Vesir gave them time before they chose Medium Amount of Soul Experience as their thirty-fourth-stage reward.
• The group entered the thirty-fifth stage, where the hall’s walls became whiteboards and Ash’s First Soul showed him a scene of his companions enjoying a day together.
• Ash discovered that he and the others had become children, then got punched by the little Sword Maiden after teasing her.
• Little Vesir began crying for Wei-Ou-Nai, while the little Witch suggested they had entered a special adventure-like situation.
• Ash recognized that the trial had invoked Return Soul Return Childhood, regressing their memories and consciousness along with their bodies.

Ash tried to convince the child versions of Witch, Sword Maiden, and Youlan Weiser that they were companions in the Inheritance Trial, but their distrust and childish personalities made the trial difficult. After Witch confirmed that the Spell Spirits’ drawing task was real, Ash realized the trial could be deadly and ended up helping Sword Maiden overcome her fear of drawing.

• Little Sword Maiden attacked Ash, and Little Witch tried to determine what they remembered and whether Ash was telling the truth.
• Ash explained that they could leave by drawing what the Spell Spirits requested on the whiteboards, and Little Witch verified his instructions before the group agreed to try them.
• Ash considered how Return Soul Return Childhood could leave challengers unable to handle the trial and suspected the Phantom Prophet had designed his inheritance to kill or weaken future Spellcasters.
• Little Sword Maiden asked Ash if he had lied, then quietly admitted she did not know how to draw.
• After Sword Maiden refused to ask him properly and hesitated at her whiteboard, Ash went over to teach her anyway.

Ash guided the amnesiac, childlike Sword Maiden and Little Witch through a painting trial while helping them understand the figures they had to draw. Little Witch recognized Ash among the images and asked if he was a Veela.

• Ash decided the group would keep challenging the inheritance rather than pause to create a new Soul Miracle, since he could extract them if they faced danger.
• Little Sword Maiden began painting a red-haired woman in a wedding dress and a handsome man after Ash told her the woman resembled her grown-up self.
• Ash reassured little Sword Maiden about her appearance and promised to return after teaching the others, easing her fear that he would leave her behind.
• Ash explained that Little Witch's sisters were suppressed by the childhood-returning effect and urged her to draw the simpler figures first.
• Little Witch told Ash that her picture showed four affectionate girls around someone who looked like him, then asked whether he was a Veela.

Mercury Trojan Horse climbed Ruby Mountain through the Wish Light, hoping to claim the Lord of Thousand Desires’ inheritance and gain a way to protect herself from Ash and Silver Lamp. Meanwhile, Little Witch guessed that Ash was her son and then suspected that she herself was the Four Sisters in love with him.

• Mercury Trojan Horse used Trojan Horse Tower to spread the Wish Light’s emotional contamination among her followers and continued climbing Ruby Mountain.
• The arcanists learned that Ruby Mountain’s Wish Light came from the Wishing Pool and carried both mental and fate-based effects that made the Lord of Thousand Desires’ inheritance highly desirable.
• Mercury Trojan Horse aimed to reach the Wish Heart and obtain the Lord of Thousand Desires’ Heaven and the Blank Concept so she could escape her fears of Ash, Silver Lamp, and Black Crow.
• Little Witch teased Ash by mistaking him for a veela, then guessed that he was her son because he felt familiar to her.
• Ash rubbed Little Witch’s head while she worked on her painting, and Little Sword Maiden watched them from nearby.
• Little Witch suggested that the Four Sisters in love with Ash were actually her.

Ash answered the Little Witch’s questions about her future and the Witch Sisters, then patiently comforted little Weiser as she spoke about Wei-Ou-Nai’s impending death. He told Weiser that the dead found eternal happiness in the Void Realm, and she was delighted because Wei-Ou-Nai had told her the same thing.

• Ash explained that the Witch Sisters were personalities split from the Little Witch, and she quickly accepted it.
• The Little Witch asked Ash about her future feelings, her imagined happiness, and whether the other girls liked him; Ash admitted that not all of them did.
• Ash tried to help little Weiser draw, but she became frightened and called for Wei-Ou-Nai.
• Little Weiser told Ash that she had searched for a tool to cure Wei-Ou-Nai, gotten lost, and later learned Wei-Ou-Nai was going to die.
• Ash told little Weiser that people who died returned to the Void Realm and gained eternal happiness, and she said Wei-Ou-Nai had told her the same thing.

Ash and the others completed the stage 35 trial by drawing while in their childhood forms, gaining Soul School knowledge and talent before returning to normal. They chose Witch’s requested spell inheritance, Subverting the Superior, instead of another chance to experience Return Soul Return Childhood.

• Ash comforted Vesir by telling her that everyone would meet again in the Void Realm, and encouraged her to draw properly for Wei-Ou-Nai.
• Ash and the others finished their drawings, and Ash praised Sword Maiden’s and Witch’s work before recognizing Vesir’s depiction of a spellcaster amid destruction.
• The four whiteboards turned into soul mist and entered their souls, granting Soul School knowledge and improving the others’ soul talent; Ash gained little because he had retained his adult memories.
• The childhood experience cards expired, and Ash and the others returned to normal as they examined the three rewards for clearing stage 35.
• Witch asked for the middle reward, a spell inheritance containing a Three-Winged Spell Spirit, and the group agreed to choose Subverting the Superior.

Igula chose another Return Soul Return Childhood reward in the Phantom Inheritance, determined to use it to gain the power he lacked. The Witch Sisters discovered a possible way to restrain the Gospel God, while Vesyr considered how the Blank Concept might change her painting.

• Igula studied a painting of his future self traveling with Ash and Harvey, then chose Return Soul Return Childhood despite the risks of regressing too far.
• Igula reflected that the Phantom Inheritance was his best chance to gain Legendary combat strength and keep pace with Ash and Harvey.
• Lysithea ran away from home over being kept from seeing her father, but Thea persuaded her to return to bed.
• The Witch Sisters tested Overthrow from Below against the Fairy Tale Spell Spirit, but the Gospel God stopped their Spell Spirits from attacking.
• Thea consulted the Gospel and received a plan for Mutiny Overthrow, which she hoped could let her restrain the Gospel God and confess her identity to Ash.
• Vesyr woke embarrassed about her childhood self and wondered whether obtaining the Blank Concept would change her painting.

Sonia substituted for Professor Tello Zan, introduced the freshmen to the Lake Light Inheritance, and shared advice about exploring the Void Realm. After class, she recognized the timid freshman Nolin and encouraged her to change her appearance and enjoy university life.

• Ricardo brought Sonia tulips and tried to win her over with a cheesy line, but Sonia revealed she was substituting for Professor Tello Zan and told him to attend class.
• Sonia introduced Lois as the substitute lecturer, and Lois explained how to enter the Lake Light Inheritance and described its challenges.
• During the Q&A, Sonia advised students exploring the Void Realm to find a target's weakness, take advantage of an opening, and act decisively.
• After class, Sonia spotted Nolin, straightened her collar, removed her glasses, and suggested she get vision surgery and grow her hair out.
• Sonia gave Nolin a lollipop and encouraged her to do her best and embrace university life, leaving Nolin stunned as the other freshmen gathered around her.

Sonia learned from Tello Zan that Kilian Morgen had been gravely injured by a curse from Thousand Wishes Heaven while approaching Ruby Mountain’s summit. Tello Zan explained that Heavens were sustained by stealing from the Void Realm, which cursed Divine Lords in return, and suggested Divine Lords’ offensive Miracles could become the Void Realm’s most terrifying curses.

• Sonia brought Tello Zan tulips, which Tello accepted and placed in a vase.
• Tello told Sonia that Kilian Morgen had been injured while supplying Spell Power for his healing array.
• Tello explained that Kilian had been struck by a curse from Thousand Wishes Heaven after reaching within fifty meters of Ruby Mountain’s summit.
• Tello told Sonia that Divine Lords stole from the Void Realm to sustain their Heavens, and the Void Realm cursed them for it.
• Tello recounted fighting a Blood Moon Arcanist who used a simplified form of Blood Fly Boiling, then speculated that Divine Lords’ offensive Miracles could become the Void Realm’s strongest curses.

Ash reviewed the team’s dwindling funds and the decision to sell spare spell spirits and ration the rest as the Faith War threatened the Wasteland’s economy. He then used his remaining source crystals on a limited search and unexpectedly obtained two featured items.

• Ash noted that his spell spirits had become less profitable to exchange for points and that the team had sold most of its spare spirits to stockpile gold coins.
• Igula ordered the team to reduce Three-Winged Spell Spirits’ daily rations, while Qikala agreed to make spatial rings for the group.
• Ash reasoned that wartime shortages would drive down gold coin supply and make robbery too dangerous, especially with Mercury Trojan Horse able to command a Legendary Arcanist.
• Ash found the limited “Soul Seeking Stealth” search and chose to spend 72 Source Crystals on 24 pulls rather than pay for more.
• Ash pulled the “Life-Slaughtering Demon Soul · Watcher” dress-up gear and the “Soul Stealing Manual,” along with several potions and a Soul Imprint.

Ash drew the Soul Stealing Manual and other items, then discussed the Senro Wasteland’s engineered mortality and his fears about the future with his companions. When the group entered the Void Realm, they saw a Divine Lord’s miracle attacking the Phantom Inheritance’s golden bubble.

• Ash examined the Soul Stealing Manual, recognized its soul-enhancing and lethal powers, and chose a Soul Imprint to support his Soul Fusion Miracle.
• Igula secretly gave Ash, Harvey, and the others extra gold, then told them the Four Pillar Gods Church had abandoned territory after many believers died.
• Harvey and Igula explained that ordinary Senro People developed Gene Collapse at twenty-five and died by twenty-eight because of the Infant Incubator, unless they became Artificers.
• Ash reflected on the cruelty of Artificers and asked what his companions would do if he chose to grow stronger through slaughter; Harvey and Igula promised to stop him, while Black Crow offered to help if it was Ash’s own will.
• Ash joked with Black Crow about his cooking, and Igula asked Harvey whether he could judge someone’s physical condition from their movements.
• Ash, Harvey, Igula, and Black Crow entered the Distant Void Domain and saw blood-red lightning strike the Phantom Inheritance’s golden bubble, signaling that the Divine Lords had intervened.

Mercury Trojan Horse came within two meters of claiming the Thousand Wishes Heaven inheritance before a Divine Lord’s attack disrupted the trial and dragged every arcanist from Ruby Mountain. At the mountain’s foot, she broke down in tears and shouted at the Divine Lord.

• Mercury Trojan Horse used the lives of Four Pillar Gods Church believers to practice crossing the Blood Fly Wish Light and climbed closer to the Wish Heart than any other arcanist.
• As she reached seven meters from the Wish Heart, starlight pierced Mercury Trojan Horse’s soul and shattered her control of the Wish Light and blood-fly curse.
• Mercury Trojan Horse pushed onward, but Spider Silk bound her and dragged her to the foot of Ruby Mountain.
• The same starlight and Spider Silk removed every arcanist from the inheritance area.
• Mercury Trojan Horse knelt on the gemstone ground, sobbed over her powerlessness, and shouted, “Divine Lord!”

Ash and the others continued challenging the Phantom Inheritance as a Divine Lord’s attack began damaging Dream Heaven. They were drawn into the hidden Nightmare Inheritance, where Devil Nightmare offered them the Nightmare Angel’s legacy if they could complete its trial.

• Ash and the others realized Divine Lords were intervening in the inheritances, but decided to keep challenging the Phantom Inheritance rather than abandon the rewards within reach.
• The team reached stage fifteen, where Vesir solved the light-pattern puzzle and Witch claimed a Wandering Soul Spell Spirit.
• The inheritance space shook and transported Ash, Vesir, Diya, and Sonia to a Golden Hall, where a black book transformed into Devil Nightmare.
• Devil Nightmare explained that the Phantom Prophet’s seals had weakened, allowing the hidden Nightmare Inheritance to activate and summon qualified mortal sorcerers.
• Devil Nightmare offered the Nightmare Angel’s legacy and possible command of Dream Heaven to whoever completed the trial: condense a divine persona and create a Divine Spirit.

Dream Demon explained how Divine Spirits were created and revealed that Ash and the others could use the Enter Dream Concept to create the Nightmare Divine Spirit. If they succeeded and reconstructed Dream Heaven, they would become Preemptive God Lords.

• Dream Demon explained the Soul Divinity and Virtual Divinity methods, both of which required concepts to create Divine Spirits.
• Ash and the others realized that concepts had become difficult to obtain because the God Lords had taken control of them.
• Dream Demon revealed the Enter Dream Concept, which its main body had controlled and used as the foundation of Dream Heaven.
• Dream Demon said that creating the Nightmare Divine Spirit would let them reconstruct Dream Heaven and take charge of it.
• Dream Demon told Ash, Sonia, Diya, and Vesir that restoring Dream Heaven would make them Preemptive God Lords.

Ash and the others learned that they had to build a Virtual Divinity using rare Spell Spirits, while Dream Demon revealed secrets about Divine Spirits and the Path of Origin. Dream Demon shackled them with the Miracle Same Bed Different Dreams and sent three of them to gather missing materials, ending with the revelation that the Nightmare Angel had a Miracle that could create any Spell Spirit they needed.

• Dream Demon explained that the group had to construct a Virtual Divinity, and the others realized Vesir’s Truth Artificer skills made her essential to the task.
• Ash and the others inspected the sealed Spell Spirits and questioned Dream Demon about Divine Spirits, Ruby Mountain, and the Path of Origin.
• Dream Demon warned that a broken seal would restore the group’s combat strength, then bound them with Same Bed Different Dreams and threatened them with a nightmare curse.
• Dream Demon ordered three of the group to find twenty-six kinds of Spell Spirits and two materials missing from the divine spark Spell Formula.
• Dream Demon revealed that the Nightmare Angel’s Miracle, Dream Come True, could create any Spell Spirit in any quantity.

The Dream Demon explained how the Nightmare Angel used the Miracle "Longed-for dream" to exploit Dream Bubbles and summon Spell Spirits, then equipped Ash and his companions to use the Miracle themselves. The group learned they must harvest Spell Spirits from Saint Domain Artificers in the Phantom Inheritance, potentially killing up to 100 of them, and were urged to begin quickly.

• The Dream Demon revealed that the Nightmare Angel founded the Dream School and created the Miracle "Longed-for dream" after failing to create the Beautiful Dream Divine Spirit.
• The Dream Demon explained that Dream Bubbles contained other artificers' insights and could help search the Void Realm's Spell Spirit library for rewards.
• The Dream Demon disclosed that the Nightmare Inheritance was using the Phantom Seal to trap Saint Domain Artificers as targets for the Miracle.
• The Dream Demon lent Ash and the others six Spell Spirits and three Source Crystals to cast "Dream Come True."
• Diya learned the Miracle could wear away a Three-Winged Sorcerer's soul, and the Dream Demon set a harvesting margin of 50 arcanists, with the total kept below 100.

Ash and his teammates debated who would remain hostage while the others entered the Phantom Inheritance, and the nightmare sent Sonia, Diya, and Vesir away to begin their trials. Ash stayed behind, where the nightmare recognized an unsettling resemblance between him and the murderous Phantom Prophet.

• Ash and his teammates discussed the dangers of pursuing the Divine Spirit and Dream Heaven, then argued over who should stay behind as a hostage.
• The nightmare sent Sonia, Diya, and Vesir into the Phantom Inheritance, granting them access to their Spell Power and Spell Spirits while arranging for other Artificers to encounter them.
• Ash questioned the nightmare about creating a Divine Spirit, reaching Ruby Mountain, and the difference between a miracle and a Miracle.
• Ash asked to switch places with the others, but the nightmare refused and kept him nearby as a hostage because he made it uneasy.
• The nightmare remembered that Ash's appearance reminded it of Phantom Prophet, who had killed Dream Heaven's twelfth owner and seized the inheritance.

Sonia, Diya, and Weiser controlled six powerful Four-Winged Spell Spirits, then faced the prospect of killing other artificers to use them. Weiser offered to take on the task alone, but Sonia stopped her and asserted her authority as the team’s commander.

• Sonia, Diya, and Weiser brought six Four-Winged Spell Spirits under their control, though they sensed the Dream Demon could reclaim them.
• Diya and the Witch Sisters expressed unease about killing people to obtain their spell spirits.
• Weiser explained that she was more accustomed to bloodshed and offered to complete the Miracle Spell alone.
• Diya handed Weiser the spell spirits, but Sonia grabbed Weiser’s wrist and objected to her deciding the matter by herself.
• Sonia reminded Weiser that she was the team’s earliest member and the Captain’s most trusted companion, then declared that she commanded the team while the Watcher was absent.

Sonia confronted Vesir over her attempt to shoulder the cost of casting Dream Come True alone, and the companions agreed to share the risk. After deciding to kill a spellcaster, they considered a safer alteration but lacked the skill to make it; the chapter ended as Sonia, Vesir, and Diya confronted Igula and stopped just before he was killed.

• Sonia accused Vesir of disregarding the team's wishes and explained that their efforts, guilt, and rewards had to be shared.
• Sonia and Vesir reconciled, and Vesir agreed to cast Dream Come True with Sonia and Diya rather than sacrifice herself alone.
• Vesir explained that Dream Come True could be altered to spare its caster, but the change would take months or require Saint Domain-level Mind and Soul Schools.
• The companions decided to proceed with the spell, and the Dream Demon teleported Igula into the Underground Hall as its first victim.
• Igula tried to fight the three spellcasters and escape with his Phantom Key, but the Red-Haired Female Spellcaster overpowered him.
• As the Red-Haired Female Spellcaster prepared to kill Igula, Sonia and another companion shouted for her to wait.