Chapter Summaries

Nimrod, an Amon avatar inhabiting the identity of Mr. L, waited for a countdown to reach zero while hiding his situation from the True Creator’s fanatics. At three o’clock, he was unexpectedly drawn into Sefirah Castle during the Tarot Club meeting, but found himself separated from the gathering.

• Nimrod pretended to share Mr. Z’s devotion to the True Creator and watched him leave before admitting he had fooled the fanatic.
• Nimrod recalled transmigrating into one of Amon’s avatars, his recurring dreams of Sefirah Castle, and the gray-fog countdown on his hand.
• With less than half a day before the countdown ended, Nimrod decided to keep playing Mr. L and seek a way to survive.
• At three o’clock, Nimrod heard the prayer that summoned him to Sefirah Castle and realized Klein’s Tarot Club meeting was underway.
• Nimrod arrived among suspended light cocoons, saw the distant Tarot Club gathering, and wondered why he had been brought there separately.

Nimrod discovered that a mark on his hand let him access Sefirah Castle as a temporary storage space, then prepared for his countdown to reach zero. He woke in Cordu Village in a new body, where a frightened boy fled and a fresh countdown began.

• Nimrod listened in on the Tarot Club meeting from Sefirah Castle and examined the Light Cocoons beneath the door of light.
• After returning to his study, Nimrod activated the bluish-black mark on his hand and used it to store and retrieve papers in Sefirah Castle.
• Nimrod found the Aurora Order's storeroom empty because Amon had stolen its supplies, then ordered an attendant to replenish it with food, medicine, and weapons.
• As the countdown reached zero, Nimrod experienced gray fog, pain, and crimson light before waking in front of a blond, blue-eyed boy holding an axe.
• The boy ran away in terror, and Nimrod saw a new countdown begin on his hand before recognizing that he was in Cordu Village.

Nimrod arrived in the corrupted ruins of Cordu Village and discovered that the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings was watching him. He used the gray mist to reach Sefirah Castle and challenged the Celestial Worthy, who said Nimrod was sealed.

• Nimrod recognized the ruins as the real Cordu Village and confirmed he had arrived there with the same Amon avatar body.
• Nimrod noticed the countdown on his hand had reset and sensed someone watching him through the gray mist.
• The Celestial Worthy spoke to Nimrod and mentioned a fellow sealed inside a lamp.
• Nimrod guessed the watcher was the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings and used four steps and honorific names to enter Sefirah Castle.
• Nimrod met the Celestial Worthy, who praised his cleverness and asked whether he thought he could break the seal.
• Nimrod calmly called the Celestial Worthy a Great Old One-level Clown.

Nimrod confronted the Celestial Worthy in Sefirah Castle and learned that he was a visitor from beyond the world whose status made him resistant to corruption. The Celestial Worthy claimed Nimrod had been used as a resurrection contingency and explained that Nimrod’s actions across time had awakened him, but he left the full truth uncertain.

• The Celestial Worthy tested Nimrod’s identity and attitude, then greeted him as a friend and asked his name.
• Nimrod introduced himself and resisted the Celestial Worthy’s attempt to make his stone chair collapse into an illusion.
• The Celestial Worthy claimed he had found Nimrod during his battle with God Almighty and hidden him in Sefirah Castle as a resurrection contingency.
• Nimrod questioned why he had awakened before Klein Moretti released the souls, and accused the Celestial Worthy of lying.
• The Celestial Worthy said Nimrod had spent seven days at another point in time and had brought the King of Space-Time’s authority into play, then warned that Nimrod’s body was still fragile.

Nimrod used Sefirah Castle to reach into a dream in Cordu, while Lumian told Aurore about the Warlock legend and the strange things he had encountered. Nimrod then appeared at their home, recognized Aurore as a compatriot, and looked toward Lumian’s chest for Amon.

• Nimrod considered how dangerous Cordu was and used Sefirah Castle’s power to reach the dream at the village’s center.
• Lumian saw the Warlock’s owl outside his window after exploring the Dream Ruins and decided to tell Aurore what had happened.
• Lumian recounted his experiences to Aurore, who promised to investigate and admitted she might already have an idea about the gray-fog figure.
• When someone knocked at the door, Lumian looked through Aurore’s peephole and saw the gray-fog Warlock from his dream.
• Nimrod greeted Aurore in Chinese as a fellow transmigrator, then put on a monocle and looked toward Lumian’s chest for Amon.

Nimrod convinced Aurore that he was a fellow transmigrator and explained that Beyonder convergence had drawn him into Lumian’s dream. Aurore believed his account, though Nimrod concealed the true nature of how he entered the dream and became trapped.

• Nimrod used transmigrator code phrases to confirm his identity to Aurore, who let him into the house.
• Nimrod told Aurore that he had transmigrated in 2025, later than she had.
• Aurore sealed the room and asked Nimrod why he had appeared in Lumian’s dream.
• Nimrod claimed Lumian’s Beyonder powers had drawn him in through convergence and urged Aurore to stop keeping Lumian from Beyonder Characteristics.
• Aurore studied Nimrod’s explanation and said she believed him.

Nimrod investigated the church trio’s plea for help and then caught the owl watching Lumian, but he also spotted Naroka entering the grove. After meeting Lumian, Nimrod learned the young man knew little about the village’s deeper mysteries, while Lumian began probing Nimrod about his power.

• Nimrod met Leah, Ryan, and Valentine, and Leah shared what they knew about the plea for help assembled from the Little Blue Book.
• Nimrod offered to search villagers’ homes for their Little Blue Books, then left to investigate.
• After waking, Lumian meditated and saw the gray figure catch the owl that had been watching him.
• Nimrod appeared at Lumian’s window with the owl and said it had died after he used Thought Disruption on it.
• Nimrod pointed out Naroka entering the grove, and Lumian identified her as an ordinary village elder.
• Lumian asked Nimrod about his connection to Aurore and his ability to enter the dream.

Lumian accepted Nimrod’s offer to help him become a Beyonder, and Nimrod guided him into the dream ruins to hunt a Shotgun Monster for its Beyonder characteristic. As Nimrod’s time in the real world ran out, he asked the Celestial Worthy whether they shared an interest in suppressing God Almighty’s will and received confirmation.

• Nimrod offered to help Lumian become a Beyonder, but Aurore interrupted before Lumian could call him father, so Nimrod insisted Lumian call him godfather instead.
• Aurore and Lumian continued investigating Naroka’s death, the dead owl, and the Father of the Parish while Nimrod explored the dream village.
• Nimrod entered the real world and explained that Lumian would need to hunt a Shotgun Monster and use its characteristic to make a potion.
• Lumian set traps and lured the Shotgun Monster toward them as Nimrod watched and wondered why no higher beings had noticed his arrival.
• As Nimrod’s countdown reached zero, he asked the Celestial Worthy if God Almighty’s Heir would want help suppressing God Almighty’s will, and the Celestial Worthy answered yes.

After Grisha Adam marked Nimrod as the True Creator’s Blessed, the Aurora Order treated him as a trusted agent. Nimrod met Saint Tenebrous, accepted responsibility for the Tingen Descent of God Operation, and warned that someone connected to the Spectator Pathway might be manipulating it.

• Grisha Adam’s gaze left an inverted black cross on Nimrod, while Sefirah Castle’s gray fog concealed him from other powerful beings.
• Mr. Z arrived and apologized for doubting Nimrod, then explained that the Aurora Order would recognize him as the True Creator’s Blessed.
• Nimrod agreed to contact Saint Tenebrous after resting and decided to use his new standing to influence the Aurora Order’s plans.
• Nimrod met Saint Tenebrous, who offered him support and made him responsible for the Tingen Descent of God Operation.
• Nimrod requested an offensive melee Beyonder item and warned Saint Tenebrous that a Spectator might be behind the suspicious arrangements surrounding the True Creator’s descent.

Nimrod secured Saint Tenebrous Kisma’s support, requested a higher-status identity for his move to Backlund, and decided to send a denunciation. Klein learned that the Aurora Order’s Mr. L had reported Old Neil’s corruption by the Hidden Sage, leaving Dunn uncertain whether the warning concealed a conspiracy.

• Nimrod persuaded Saint Tenebrous Kisma that a Spectator was involved and asked for a new identity that would let him mingle with Backlund’s nobility.
• Saint Tenebrous ordered Mr. Z to assist Mr. L with the Lord’s descent and told Nimrod he could contact him through Mr. Z.
• Nimrod told Mr. Z that he would first write a letter of denunciation.
• Klein learned that Dunn Smith and the others had taken Old Neil into custody after a letter warned that the Hidden Sage was corrupting him and he was nearing loss of control.
• Dunn told Klein the letter was signed by the Aurora Order’s Mr. L and wondered whether the warning concealed a conspiracy.

Two days earlier, Nimrod arranged for a report to reach the Church of Evernight and persuaded Mr. Z to question the Aurora Order’s plans for the Lord’s descent. As Nimrod’s Beyonder abilities emerged, he realized he had not digested the potion but usurped the characteristic.

• Nimrod gave Mr. Z an anti-divination report letter to deliver secretly to the Blackthorn Security Company, warning him not to hurt anyone.
• Mr. Z returned after delivering the letter and reported that the Aurora Order would create Nimrod’s requested identity, but its Saints could not travel to Tingen.
• Nimrod suspected that Adam or “0-08” had interfered to keep Saint Tenebrous away from Tingen, and told Mr. Z they should wait.
• Mr. Z asked why Nimrod had alerted the Church of Evernight, and Nimrod urged him to consider whether a higher power had manipulated their desire for the Lord’s descent.
• Nimrod told Mr. Z to lie low until their hidden enemy appeared, then felt his obscured abilities emerge and realized he was usurping the characteristic rather than digesting the potion.

Nimrod joined the Tingen City Divination Club to meet Hanass Vincent and pursue connections that could help him acquire money and Beyonder materials. He found Hanass teaching astrological divination and decided to wait before revealing himself.

• Nimrod recalled Klein's connection to the Divination Club and planned to use it to meet potential buyers among the Tarot Club.
• Nimrod entered the club, paid the five-pound membership fee, and gave the receptionist a completed membership form.
• Angelica Barehart welcomed Nimrod as a member and gave him a membership cufflink.
• Nimrod learned that Hanass Vincent was teaching in the meeting room and chose to listen without interrupting him.

Klein observed a new Divination Club member, Nimrod, while Hanass Vincent recognized Nimrod as Mr. L and panicked. Nimrod sent Hanass on a mission to lure the enemies connected to the notebook, promising him Beyonder powers if he succeeded.

• Klein watched Nimrod enter the Divination Club and wondered whether he was a new member.
• The Celestial Worthy urged Nimrod to kill Klein and seize Sefirah Castle, but Nimrod ignored the suggestion.
• Hanass Vincent recognized Nimrod as Mr. L, ended his lesson, and hurried to the White Crystal Room.
• Nimrod confronted Hanass over selling the notebook and exposing the Aurora Order to the Evernight heretics.
• Nimrod ordered Hanass to carry an item and lure their enemies, promising protection and the power of the Beyonder world if he succeeded.

Nimrod gave Hanass instructions and arranged custom clothes while considering whether stealing faith could digest his Marauder potion. At the Divination Club, Klein failed to divine Nimrod’s identity, then used dream divination to locate him and discovered Nimrod was knocking at his door.

• Nimrod gave Hanass instructions and tasked him and Sirius with making custom clothes for his next visit to the Circle of Inevitability timeline.
• Nimrod suspected that stealing and redirecting faith in the True Creator could efficiently digest his Sequence 9 potion.
• Nimrod reflected on the enhanced observation ability he had gained after taking over abilities from the Swindler characteristic, then left to meet Klein.
• Klein failed to divine Nimrod’s background and suspected supernatural interference from an anti-divination Beyonder.
• Klein used dream divination to locate Nimrod and saw him standing outside the room where Klein was sitting.
• Nimrod knocked on the door, shattering Klein’s divination dream.

Nimrod visited Klein and asked him for a tarot reading after revealing that he had caught Klein divining him. Klein interpreted Nimrod’s past, present, and future cards, ending in surprise at the reversed Devil in the future position.

• The Celestial Worthy told Klein that he could not divine Nimrod’s origins because his standing was insufficient, even with Sefirah Castle.
• Nimrod entered Klein’s room to introduce himself and asked Klein to perform a divination.
• Klein agreed to a past, present, and future tarot spread, and Nimrod introduced himself as Nimrod Emonsal.
• Klein turned over the reversed Lovers for Nimrod’s past, and Nimrod dismissed its meaning as unimportant.
• Nimrod drew an upright Devil for the present and a reversed Devil for the future, leaving Klein staring at the cards in surprise.

Klein learned that Nimrod was a fellow transmigrator and met him at a coffeehouse to talk about their shared origins. Nimrod hinted that Roselle had borrowed a familiar saying and suggested that learning more about the emperor would change Klein’s view of him.

• Klein noticed a second Devil card during Nimrod’s tarot reading, but Nimrod accepted the reversed card’s interpretation as a sign of escaping hardship.
• Nimrod questioned Klein’s reluctance to discuss Roselle’s inventions, then said Roselle had borrowed a saying without changing a word.
• Nimrod identified Klein as someone from another world and tested him with a question about the moon and a line of poetry.
• Klein arranged to meet Nimrod at a coffeehouse that evening and told Benson and Melissa he would not be home for dinner.
• Klein asked whether Nimrod’s name came from mythology, and Nimrod explained that he had returned to his original name after transmigrating.
• Nimrod told Klein that someone had recently taken the Roselle diary entries he had collected and said that learning more about Roselle would change Klein’s opinion of him.

Nimrod told Klein that he had transmigrated into a Sequence 7 Marauder Beyonder’s body and wanted to return to their original world. He proposed that they cooperate if only one of them could make it home, then warned Klein that a powerful Marauder might be hunting Beyonders of the same pathway.

• Nimrod revealed that he had arrived in the world about ten days earlier and had transmigrated into a Beyonder’s body on the Marauder pathway.
• Nimrod told Klein that he wanted to return home and suggested they help each other if only one of them could succeed.
• Klein accepted Nimrod’s proposal and asked him to compare how they had transmigrated.
• Nimrod said he had seen gray fog before arriving as a Cryptologist and revealed that he had inherited a Sequence 7 body.
• Nimrod warned Klein that high-sequence Marauders hunted lower-sequence Beyonders and suggested someone on the pathway might be eliminating rivals to become a god.

Klein learned that Nimrod belonged to the Aurora Order and shared his connection to the gray fog, then realized Nimrod suspected they were being watched. Nimrod left Klein with a warning that a conspiracy was brewing in the city.

• Klein offered to help Nimrod contact a church, but Nimrod declined and revealed he had joined the Aurora Order.
• Nimrod told Klein that the True Creator’s ravings had been blocked by gray fog and that reciting a phrase about the Celestial Worthy had brought him to this world.
• Klein concealed his alarm and suggested that he and Emperor Roselle might have been protected by the same higher being when they transmigrated.
• Nimrod guessed that Klein had joined the Church of Evernight and explained that his Mystery Pryer abilities let him read Klein’s circumstances.
• Nimrod pushed Klein a business card bearing a warning that someone was watching them and a conspiracy was brewing in the city.

Klein learned that Nimrod was the Aurora Order’s Oracle, Mr. L, and that he was working to disrupt the Order’s planned ritual in Tingen. After Nimrod parted from Klein, the Celestial Worthy warned him that Klein was divining his secrets, but Nimrod had anticipated the possibility.

• Nimrod told Klein that the Aurora Order planned a Descent of God ritual in Tingen and said he would try to stop it.
• Klein warned Nimrod that the Oracle Mr. L was contacting the Church of Evernight, and Nimrod revealed that he was Mr. L and the Order’s highest-ranking leader in Tingen.
• Nimrod explained that Mr. Z was another Oracle in the city, so he was covertly helping local churches rather than openly canceling the ritual.
• After Klein left, Mr. Z reported that the Church of Evernight was investigating, praised Nimrod’s efforts, and handed him a bag of specially made clothing and a Hunter Pathway potion formula.
• Nimrod reviewed his plans to acquire a potion formula and weapon, sway Hanass Vincent, prepare for Cordu Village, and maintain contact with Klein.
• The Celestial Worthy warned Nimrod that Klein was divining his secrets, and Nimrod concluded that he had expected this.

After divining that reporting Nimrod to Captain Dunn would benefit him, Klein resolved to do so the next day. He arrived at the Blackthorn Security Company and told Rozanne he had something important to report to Dunn.

• Klein divined Above the Gray Fog that telling Dunn about Nimrod would bring him a favorable outcome, and decided to report it the next day.
• Klein told Benson he would meet his old friend Nimrod again the following Saturday, and Benson warned him to be cautious about trusting people.
• Klein watched Melissa leave for school and then parted from Benson on the way to work.
• At the Blackthorn Security Company, Klein spoke with Rozanne about missing Old Neil and the report that had helped protect him from losing control.
• Klein told Rozanne he was looking for Dunn because he had something important to report.