Chapter Summaries

Lumian crossed the Berserk Sea aboard the Berry and investigated rumors of devils on Hunt Island, where locals said people vanished in the forest each year. Meanwhile, Franca, Jenna, and Anthony identified Minister Moran Avigny, whose dark gray eyes reminded Franca of the Black Witch, Clarisse.

• Ludwig could reveal only the age, materials, and manufacturing process of Lumian's notebook and incantation slip, while Lumian read the notebook silently.
• Lumian woke at six after a sensual dream, and Lugano told him sailors' warnings about the dangerous waters beyond the Berserk Sea's safe shipping lanes.
• The Berry crossed the Berserk Sea without incident and reached Hunt Island for a two-day stopover.
• Lumian asked bar patrons about local horror stories and learned of a devil in the forest and people who went missing there every year.
• Franca, Jenna, and Anthony gathered information and a photograph of Moran Avigny, and Franca recognized his dark gray eyes as resembling Clarisse's.

Franca connected the Black Witch’s dark gray eyes to Moran Avigny and planned to report her findings, while Lumian investigated the Hunt Island devil and heard Ludwig describe a scent of death that had filled the air during the rain. Lumian went to sleep wondering whether the scent signaled an island anomaly, then dreamed of the Samaritan Woman Spring, the Blood Emperor’s remnant image, and the Montsouris Ghosts.

• Franca noticed that the Black Witch and Moran Avigny shared rare dark gray eyes and considered whether they belonged to the same family or had ties to the People in the Mirror.
• Franca decided to visit the Black Witch and tell her about Moran Avigny, while Jenna warned her to be careful.
• Lumian reasoned that the devil might be hiding on Hunt Island because it was tied to the sulfurous valley, and planned to search the forest for remains of missing people.
• A sudden downpour caught Lumian outside, and he later returned to the Berry after the rain passed.
• Ludwig told Lumian that he had smelled death everywhere during the rain, though the scent disappeared afterward.
• Lumian fell asleep and dreamed of the Samaritan Woman Spring, the Blood Emperor’s remnant image, and wandering underground as one of the Montsouris Ghosts.

Lumian investigated the devil legend on Hunt Island by exhuming Antonio Elias, whose skull showed signs of a fatal internal explosion. Concluding that a powerful devil was likely responsible, Lumian avoided luring it out and used the Torture gloves to search the forest for the sulfurous valley, where a gigantic talking bear confronted him.

• After waking from a disturbing dream, Lumian reminded himself that he had come to investigate the devil legend, not fight the devil.
• Lumian dug up Antonio Elias's grave and found cracks inside the skull, suggesting an explosion had destroyed the brain.
• Lumian reasoned that a Criminal-pathway devil had detonated Antonio's desires and decided not to use the Torture gloves to lure it out.
• Lumian entered the forest and repeatedly used the Torture gloves to guide his search for the mysterious valley.
• A gigantic brown bear emerged and ordered Lumian to stop, calling him an outsider.

Lumian used the Mystery-Peering Glasses near the Earth Mother's Church’s sealed area on Hunt Island and glimpsed a blood-colored figure, black wastewater, and a pair of ice-blue eyes. After escaping to the Bishop's Cathedral and considering the possible connection between two devils, he saw the same eyes in an elderly believer beside him.

• A talking brown bear confronted Lumian in the forest, and he withdrew before using the Mystery-Peering Glasses.
• Lumian saw blue flames, trees dying and regrowing, a huge blood-colored figure sinking into black wastewater, and ice-blue eyes watching him.
• Lumian teleported to the Earth Mother's Church's Bishop's Cathedral and hid the glasses while he analyzed what he had seen.
• Lumian considered whether the ice-eyed devil was the blood-colored figure's descendant and whether Naporidisli wanted the figure to sink into the wastewater.
• As Lumian prepared to leave the church, he recognized the elderly believer beside him as having the same bloodshot, ice-blue eyes.

Lumian survived the ice-blue-eyed devil’s assault in the Church of the Earth Mother and realized the church had helped protect him. As the devil repented, Lumian questioned it about its past and learned its name was Naporidisli.

• The ice-blue-eyed devil overwhelmed Lumian with illusions and maddening murmurs, but Lumian regained his sense of self and found the devil repenting before the Life Holy Emblem.
• Lumian chose to stay beside the devil, concluding that the church had helped protect him and that he should not blindly assume every church was safe.
• Lumian and the devil discussed the people who had encountered it, and the devil admitted it had written their epitaphs.
• Lumian explained his investigation on Hunt Island and his earlier encounter with a devil, while the devil warned that curiosity could be fatal and refused to identify the devil Lumian had encountered.
• The devil said remaining on Hunt Island was its duty and atonement, and that it could neither imprison itself nor leave.
• Lumian apologized for not asking its name, and the devil identified itself as Naporidisli.

Lumian questioned the ice-blue-eyed devil in the Earth Mother church about Naporidisli and the Love Incantation, then learned that the church sheltered devils born in its monastery. A second ice-blue-eyed man also called himself Naporidisli and warned Lumian to leave Hunt Island, leaving him unsettled by the island’s tangled secrets.

• Lumian probed the devil calling itself Naporidisli and learned that saying the name three times outside the church could let it target him when it lost control.
• Lumian told the devil that another devil had used the name Love Incantation, and the devil expressed surprise and confusion before warning him to stop investigating.
• Lumian watched the frail-looking devil leave the church and sensed brazen malice beneath its appearance.
• An ice-blue-eyed clergyman sat beside Lumian, identified the devil as Boselli, and explained that they were both born in Hunt Port’s monastery.
• Lumian realized the Earth Mother Church helped shelter and protect the local devils while restraining them.
• The clergyman said he was also called Naporidisli and warned Lumian to leave Hunt Island, so Lumian walked out of the church.

Lumian reconsidered Hunt Island’s devils and theorized that the Earth Mother’s Church had divided the blood-colored devil’s soul into reborn fragments to protect and restrain it. He left the mystery unresolved, planning to report his findings to Madam Magician, but the blood-colored devil returned in his dreams.

• Lumian realized the icy-blue-eyed devils he encountered might be soul fragments connected to old Boselli and the blood-colored devil.
• After hearing Lugano explain Soul Stitching, Lumian considered whether Planter pathway abilities could cut away corrupted portions of a soul.
• Lumian theorized that the Earth Mother’s Church had separated healthy soul fragments from the blood-colored devil and used cycles of rebirth to resist corruption.
• Lumian decided not to investigate further on his own and planned to report his information and conjectures to Madam Magician.
• Lumian spent the afternoon in Hunt Port and learned that icy-blue-eyed devils had made many vicious criminals disappear into the forest.
• That night, Lumian dreamed again of the blood-colored devil lying in pitch-black liquid amid sulfurous flames.

Lumian dreamed of a horrifying figure and woke with both eyes ruptured, then recovered by morning and sought treatment for the corruption he suspected he had accumulated on Hunt Island. After Bishop Newman urged him to recognize his arrogance, Madam Magician replied with Spirit World coordinates and told him to go there for treatment.

• Lumian woke from a dream with both eyes ruptured, and Lugano stopped the bleeding and eased his pain.
• Lumian's eyes had healed by morning, and he wrote Madam Magician about the events on Hunt Island and his suspected corruption.
• Lumian visited Bishop Newman, described the dream, and heard a sermon about arrogance and the abyss of evil.
• Lumian returned to the Berry and received Madam Magician's reply, which gave him Spirit World coordinates for treatment and told him to end the matter on Hunt Island.

Lumian traveled to New Silver City, where Mr. Sun cleared the residual corruption from his body, and began learning about the Church of The Fool’s giant-like inhabitants. In Trier, Franca secured Clarisse’s conditional help with an operation against Moran Avigny and the People in the Mirror.

• Lumian used the Black Mark to reach a cathedral in New Silver City, where Mr. Sun’s sunlight dissolved the corruption clinging to him but stopped before purifying the seal in his chest.
• Lumian met Mr. Sun, then left the cathedral and discovered that New Silver City’s inhabitants were enormous compared with him.
• Franca visited Clarisse, explained how she had identified Moran Avigny as an important Person in the Mirror, and asked for help capturing or channeling his spirit.
• Clarisse agreed to assist Franca at a critical moment but told her to plan the operation and rely mainly on her own forces.
• Lumian shared a drink with a giant in New Silver City and asked him to describe the Angel of Redemption’s deeds in the Forsaken Land.

Lumian spent an afternoon exploring New Silver City, learning about its people’s history and tasting the unusual foods they made from mushrooms. He reached the Twin Towers and headed for the library in the pointed tower.

• Livalier told Lumian that the Council of Six forbade discussion of matters beyond the Holy Scripture, then explained how Blackface Grass had sustained Silver City in the Forsaken Land.
• Lumian tasted Blackface Beer and learned that drinking too much could cause hallucinations.
• Lumian bought milk squeezed from a milk mushroom and later learned that the candy offered by a missionary was made with the same mushroom milk.
• Lumian wandered through New Silver City, sampling and observing the strange mushrooms its residents used as food.
• Lumian spotted black, hairlike plants growing on the Twin Towers and headed toward the pointed tower to visit its library.

Lumian read New Silver City's books on demons and ancient gods, learning that Demon Monarch Farbauti was still alive and that Naporidisli might be one of his aliases. He decided to leave the devil investigation behind and travel to West Balam to hunt Hisoka and complete his Conspirer advancement ritual.

• Lumian found Old Feysac transcriptions of the library's mythology books and studied Demonology, which described the traits of demons in detail.
• The librarian warned Lumian not to speak Demon Monarch Farbauti's name in a supernatural language and said Vampire Ancestor Lilith might still be alive.
• Lumian learned that the Ancient Sun God had defeated the ancient gods and reclaimed their authorities.
• The librarian found Naporidisli listed among names used by devils and noted that some might be aliases of Farbauti, leaving Lumian unsure whether the sealed devil was the Demon Monarch.
• Lumian finished reading, returned to the Berry at Hunt Port, and decided to stop investigating Hunt Island's devil legends.
• Lumian resolved to travel to West Balam, find Hisoka, and hunt him to digest his Conspirer potion and complete his advancement ritual.

Franca and Jenna sought 007’s help planning an operation against Moran Avigny, whom they believed was a Person in the Mirror, and warned him that a Witch Sect Half-God might intervene. Lumian received Franca’s letter and considered possible plans before spotting a dark, silent sailing ship near the Berry.

• Franca asked 007 about the security procedures used to protect senior officials, and he explained that guards followed their charges nearly everywhere unless they signed a privacy waiver.
• Franca told Jenna that Moran Avigny’s protections left few obvious openings, and Jenna argued that seducing him would likely fail because he was a Person in the Mirror.
• Franca agreed to ask Lumian for ideas, then 007 offered to verify their findings and secretly cooperate with their operation.
• Franca warned 007 that a Witch Sect Half-God might participate, and she and Jenna decided to seek Lumian’s advice as well.
• Lumian read Franca’s letter, considered and discarded several plans, then saw an unlit Three-Masted Sailing Ship gliding silently near the Berry.

Lumian traveled through the Berserk Sea to Port Pylos in West Balam, where he planned to search for Hisoka by drawing him out. After sampling the local custom of traveling in a coffin, he arrived at the Aurela Hotel.

• Lumian saw a corpse-like woman watching him from an unmanned ship, then watched the vessel vanish into the darkness.
• Lumian and Franca's group postponed planning against Moran Avigny until 007 supplied more information.
• The Berry sailed out of the Berserk Sea and continued southwest to Port Pylos, where Lumian resumed his plan to draw out Hisoka.
• Lumian took Ludwig and Lugano from the port in a coffin carried by locals.
• Lumian arrived at the Aurela Hotel, a large hotel built into an artificial deep valley.

Lumian and Lugano arrived at the Aurela Hotel in Port Pylos, where Lumian began gathering information about the town and the Berserk Sea. At the Man-Eating Flower bar, he learned the legend that the Death God vanished in the Berserk Sea, just as an arrival caused the bar to fall silent.

• Lumian booked a ground-level suite at the Aurela Hotel, and receptionist Ron told him about Tizamo and recommended the Man-Eating Flower bar.
• Lumian noticed that one of the hotel's guests was a walking corpse, and Ron warned him that the guest served Mr. Ivelista.
• Lumian went to the Man-Eating Flower bar, struggled to smoke an East Balam cigar, and asked the bartender whether he recognized him.
• The bartender said the Death God had vanished in the Berserk Sea and recounted a legend about the Death God's Key and the treasures left behind.
• Someone opened the bar's door, and the lively room abruptly fell silent as Lumian turned to look.

Lumian questioned the Man-Eating Flower bartender about playing-card weapons and learned that the Patrol Team handled Beyonder incidents in Matani Province. After rejecting the bar owner Belottia’s invitation, he went searching for trouble and found two Beyonders fighting in a deserted alley.

• Lumian asked the bartender whether anyone in the area used playing cards as weapons, but the bartender suggested he ask the Patrol Team.
• The bartender explained that General Quilariel’s Patrol Team handled mysticism incidents and that local wanted notices covered crimes committed in Matani Province.
• Belottia invited Lumian to spend the night with her, but Lumian declined and left, saying he already liked someone.
• Lumian wandered through secluded streets looking for an incident and heard fighting in a dark alley.
• Lumian found two armed Beyonders battling and watched them without hiding his presence.

Lumian followed Bram, a Serial Killer, to his room and beat him nearly unconscious after trapping him with a Fictional Bottle. He asked Bram which family he belonged to, and Bram identified himself as a member of the Andrealphus family.

• Lumian watched Bram escape from the alley after the young member of the Spiritualist Order dispelled his smoke, then disappeared before the native could question him.
• Bram returned to his room with a new trophy and added it to his collection of preserved lips.
• Lumian appeared in Bram's room and deduced that Bram collected victims' lips for gratification and possibly ritual materials.
• Bram tried to escape through sulfurous smoke, but Lumian's Fictional Bottle kept him inside; Bram then fired a machine gun at Lumian.
• Lumian used electrically charged punches to batter Bram until he could barely breathe, then asked which family he belonged to.
• Bram weakly told Lumian that he was a member of the Andrealphus family.

Lumian questioned Bram Andrealphus about the Rose School’s operations in Port Pylos and learned about a series of murders targeting Beyonders four years earlier. Bram tried to summon a demon’s projection, but Lumian detonated the flames he had planted in Bram, killing him before the ritual could begin.

• Lumian learned that Bram Andrealphus was gathering intelligence on Matani Province for the Rose School and delivering it through an empty house at No. 17 Rue d'Alègre.
• Bram told Lumian that seven Beyonders had been murdered near Port Pylos four years earlier, and Lumian suspected the killings might be connected to Hisoka.
• Bram revealed that he knew only the patrol team's closing summary and had not examined the investigation files.
• Bram used Demon Language to activate a ritual summoning a demon's projection, drawing on blood traces he had secretly arranged around the room.
• Lumian detonated the delayed flames he had infused into Bram, killing him and ending the ritual before it could take effect.

Franca used Mirror Spiritism to question Bram about the Andrealphus Family and the Rose School, while she and Lumian considered the dangers of hunting Hisoka. After returning to Trier, Lumian found a second silhouette beside his shadow in a mechanical elevator.

• Franca asked Bram who led the Andrealphus Family, and he revealed that the family head had died as a sacrifice before his spirit vanished.
• Franca and Lumian discussed the Abyss's deterioration, Hisoka's possible Demon pathway, and the risk that he could sense Lumian's malice.
• Lumian suggested seeking charms or other items from Demon Hunters that could conceal his intentions, while Franca warned him about Hisoka and dangerous Rose School members.
• Lumian decided to report the Rose School's presence in Port Pylos to Madam Magician and keep his focus on finding Hisoka.
• Lumian returned Franca to Trier, stored Bram's Serial Killer Beyonder Characteristic, and saw another slender silhouette beside his shadow in a mechanical elevator.

Lumian suspected that the mysterious Ivelista was a Wraith connected to the Rose School, then reported the serial killer Bram to the Port Pylos Patrol Team. He arranged to let Camus claim the bounty in exchange for access to old case files and evidence, and the chapter ended as Camus went to gather teammates.

• Lumian shared an elevator with Ivelista, who descended to the eighteenth basement level, and decided to report his suspicions to Madam Magician.
• Lumian returned to Suite 7, where Ludwig ate Isio, and joked that Port Pylos offered plenty of chances to find him good food.
• Lumian visited the Port Pylos Patrol Team and told Camus he had killed a serial murderer and found severed human lips in the man's home.
• Lumian offered Camus the bounty in exchange for access to files and evidence from serial murders four years earlier, and Camus agreed to verify the scene.
• Camus introduced himself, shook hands with Lumian, and went to find teammates to accompany him.

Lumian investigated the serial-murder case by studying its files and evidence, then used chocolate wrappers to pursue a lead about the killer’s habits. He ended the chapter by giving an old wrapper to Ludwig to eat.

• Camus and the Patrol Team inspected Bram’s gruesome remains as Lumian explained that Bram belonged to the Demon Family Andrealphus and had acted on the Rose School’s orders.
• Camus let Lumian examine the serial-murder case files and evidence, warning him not to remove or damage anything.
• Lumian noticed that all seven victims were young Beyonders with promise, suggesting Hisoka had chosen targets who fit a particular profile.
• Lumian asked to keep several chocolate wrappers and persuaded Camus to accept a Knowledge Rabbit’s summoning incantation in exchange.
• Lumian summoned a Knowledge Rabbit to copy the files while he ate chocolate, then returned to the Aurela Hotel and gave Ludwig an old wrapper to eat.