Chapter Summaries

Lumian and his companions arrived in Lacray City, where he learned about the local Skull Blessing Festival and connected Oseto’s presence to it. After Ludwig briefly sensed something linked to the Bird-Clawed Monster Infant, Lumian’s group and Franca and Jenna coincidentally met at the same restaurant.

• Lumian entered Lacray City with the Knight of Swords and learned that locals preserve relatives’ skulls and celebrate the Skull Blessing Festival.
• Lumian learned that Oseto had appeared in the Lacray region before the festival and was probably there when it took place.
• Franca and Jenna wandered around the city, turned down a Feysacian woman’s invitation, and chose the Saint-Milon Restaurant for lunch while Anthony watched from across the street.
• Ludwig briefly sensed Corpse’s child near the restaurant, but the presence faded before Lumian could identify its source.
• Lumian, Ludwig, and Lugano entered the Saint-Milon Restaurant, where they unexpectedly found Franca and Jenna, and Lumian ordered everything except drinks.

After Ludwig sensed a Bird-Clawed Monster Infant near Saint-Milon Restaurant, Lumian suspected it had hidden inside the Otherworld while watching Franca and Jenna. He used flirtation as cover to question the two Witches, and an unfamiliar woman appeared in a mirror nearby as they spoke.

• Lumian theorized that the Bird-Clawed Monster Infant had sensed its dead mother and hidden, then wondered whether it had been watching Franca and Jenna from the Otherworld.
• Lumian searched the street for clues but found no suspicious people or buildings, then returned to Saint-Milon Restaurant.
• Lumian approached Franca and Jenna under the guise of flirting and asked whether anyone had stared unusually at them or whether they had felt cold.
• Franca said they had felt cold from Chaban Street until the beet soup arrived, leading Lumian to connect the chill to the Otherworld.
• A pale-blond woman wearing a small black bonnet appeared intermittently in a mirror near the table and watched Lumian, Franca, and Jenna.

Lumian learned how the Lacray Region’s Skull Blessing Festival arose after the Death God’s fall, then suspected Witch King Oseto was merging the local kingdom of the undead into her Otherworld. He left the restaurant wondering how Oseto would respond to the bloodline and aura she had detected in him and Ludwig.

• Lumian asked Maric whether he had sensed anything unusual around Two of Cups and Seven of Cups, and Maric reported slight abnormalities but no clear source.
• Lumian connected the unusual concealment to Oseto’s experiments with the Otherworld and asked Maric about the Skull Blessing Festival.
• Maric explained that the Death God’s fall mutated the Underworld, causing undead disasters, and that Lacray’s people created a small kingdom of the dead as a refuge for spirits.
• Lumian recognized similarities between that kingdom and the Otherworld, and proposed that Oseto was incorporating it into her Otherworld to make it more complete.
• Lumian reasoned that Oseto had detected Ombella’s bloodline in him and the corpse-mother aura in Ludwig, then abruptly stood up, suspecting her actions might be a trap or a request for assistance.

Lumian used the Aegis Family’s golden mask and the Underworld Daoist’s seal to reveal that Oseto’s Otherworld had merged with the Lacré Region’s Undead Kingdom. He told Maric to get the others to safety, then possess him so they could enter the Otherworld and confront Oseto.

• Lumian warned Maric that Oseto would be on alert after sensing his abnormality and Ludwig’s aura, and Maric said they were prepared.
• Lumian decided to take Franca, Jenna, and the others to Chaban Street, where Franca and Jenna had previously felt the temperature drop.
• At Chaban Street, Lumian put on the Aegis Family’s golden mask and activated Alista Tudor’s residual aura to reveal the Undead Kingdom.
• Lumian saw that the Undead Kingdom overlapped with the Lacré Region and identified Oseto’s Otherworld within it.
• Lumian told Maric to take the others somewhere safe, then possess him so Lumian could bring him into the Otherworld.

Oseto used the Otherworld to isolate Lumian and attacked him with a banshee howl, but the Temperance Faction’s demigods intervened and froze the undead army. Maric explained the Undead Kingdom’s connection to Darsh Lake as he and Lumian approached its edge, where Lumian noticed strange figures reflected in the ice and insects near his mouth; meanwhile, a red-gloved man appeared beside Franca and the others and offered to send them back to Trier.

• Oseto expanded the Otherworld, separated Lumian from Franca and the others, and sent an undead army and human skulls against him.
• Oseto’s howl knocked Lumian unconscious, while the Temperance Faction’s demigods possessed him and froze or destroyed the attackers.
• Lumian woke beside Maric, who said Oseto had retreated to Darsh Lake and explained how the lake, an Undying’s skull, and Underworld aura sustained the local Undead Kingdom.
• Lumian and Maric reached the frozen world’s edge, where Lumian saw two figures reflected in the ice and noticed translucent-ringed insects around his mouth.
• A young man wearing red gloves appeared beside Franca, Jenna, Lugano, and the others and said he would send them back to Trier.

Mr. Stars spirited Franca, Jenna, Lugano, and Anthony away while Lumian and Maric reached Darsh Lake, where Witch King Oseto’s attempt to destroy the Otherworld was temporarily halted. Lumian learned Oseto had sent a monstrous premature birth through the Bronze Gate and opened it himself, only to be sucked into the Underworld.

• Mr. Stars identified Franca and Jenna by their Tarot Club names, showed them the Stars card, and transported them and the others into the Spirit World.
• Lumian and Maric raced to Darsh Lake, where they found a giant head of skulls surrounding the Crystal Skull and the open Bronze Gate.
• Oseto’s words announced her escape and threatened to destroy the Otherworld, but an unknown force halted its collapse.
• Translucent-ringed worms revealed recent history, showing Oseto tear a monstrous infant from her belly and send it through the Bronze Gate.
• A woman in a black bonnet and Maric appeared before the gate, and Lumian used his Black Mark to teleport there and push it open.
• The gate pulled Lumian through its widening crack and into the darkness, as two more clumps of chill appeared in his body.

Lumian entered the Underworld to find the missing part of the Abscessed Severed Hand, guided by a mystical connection and a Temperance Faction half-god. He reached the River of the Underworld and faced the dangerous choice of crossing with a decomposed boatman.

• After the Crystal Skull and Oseto's Otherworld collapsed, Lumian passed through the bronze gate into the Underworld wearing the Aegis Family's Golden Mask.
• Lumian summoned Maric, the Knight of Swords, and learned that Maric and a companion were sheltering inside his body to avoid being changed permanently into wraiths.
• A Temperance Faction half-god pointed Lumian toward the wilderness, where she believed Oseto's rotten infant had gone; Lumian sensed the missing part of the Abscessed Severed Hand in the same direction.
• When Lumian tried to teleport, the Underworld's influence paralyzed him and raised the surrounding skeletons; Maric explained that pure undead were suppressed by high-ranking Death God pathway beings and warned him not to teleport.
• Lumian traveled by repeatedly launching himself as a Flame Spear and reached the River of the Underworld, where a decomposed boatman arrived in a dilapidated black boat.
• Maric warned Lumian that the mutated Underworld might have affected the boatman, though the boat appeared to be their only way across the river.

Lumian crossed the River of the Underworld aboard a decaying boat, fought off its monstrous boatman, and learned that the crossing would take him directly into the Underworld’s depths. The boat continued toward the realm where the Death God’s Blessed once lived and where the former Death God’s palace stood.

• Lumian boarded the boat and studied the boatman’s fate and weaknesses while it rowed across the River of the Underworld.
• The Knight of Swords warned Lumian that the boatman’s weakness might be elsewhere and that observing its fate was dangerous.
• The boatman split open its body and lunged at Lumian, who drew the Sword of Courage and slashed it before the Knight of Swords stopped him.
• The Knight of Swords explained that the boatman wore only the skin of a real Ferryman and that killing it would leave them unable to cross.
• The Knight of Swords explained that crossing the river led directly to the Underworld’s depths, including the former Death God’s palace, and the far bank came into view.

Lumian crossed the River of the Underworld and followed the Black Mark toward a piece of the Abscessed Severed Hand. In a ruined church, he found a goat-faced undead eating the corpse’s flesh and was startled when it asked whether he needed meat.

• Lumian crossed the River of the Underworld and learned that he and his companions might need to return to find a way out.
• Lumian followed a shattered road through the dark Underworld toward the Abscessed Severed Hand’s body.
• Lumian heard a sawing sound inside a ruined church and entered to investigate, with the Knight of Swords and the Temperance Faction Half-God agreeing to assist if needed.
• Lumian found the left half of the Abscessed Severed Hand’s corpse on a stone table while a four-meter-tall, goat-faced undead cut off and ate its flesh.
• The undead forced Lumian out of his shadow form with an unfamiliar language, and the Knight of Swords translated its question: whether Lumian needed meat.

Lumian struck a deal with a dead goat-faced devil to find a large black egg wreathed in flames inside the Death God's palace, suspecting it was connected to Oseto’s plans for the Underworld. He and the Temperance Faction members descended through a hidden passage and reached a giant door that Lumian believed led into the palace.

• Lumian negotiated with the goat-faced devil, which first demanded that he kill Farbauti and then asked him to retrieve an egg from the Death God's palace.
• The devil described the egg as very large, black, and surrounded by flames, prompting Lumian to connect it to the birdlike infant Oseto had conceived and the possibility that she intended to merge her Otherworld with the Underworld.
• Lumian agreed to the deal and warned the Knight of Swords and the Temperance Faction's Half-God that the infant might wield Underworld power and should be treated as a Sequence 3-level threat in its environment.
• The goat-faced devil pointed Lumian toward a hole leading to a basement passage, and the Knight of Swords confirmed it reached the Death God's palace.
• Lumian descended through the dark passage using his powers, reached a chamber strewn with bones, and began pushing open a giant wooden door.

Lumian and the Knight of Swords discovered Gregrace’s corpse sleeping atop the Death God’s ruined palace, with the black egg they sought beneath it. When Oseto’s monstrous child approached the egg, Lumian joined Sharon and the others in moving to stop it.

• Lumian saw the pale kingdom and learned from the Knight of Swords that the immense rotting bird was probably Gregrace, the Ancestor of the Phoenixes.
• The Knight of Swords revealed that a black egg burning with pale flames lay beneath Gregrace’s corpse and that the corpse was asleep, despite having caused the Underworld’s mutation.
• Lumian learned that the Aegis Family’s Death God may have brought Gregrace’s corpse to the Underworld to gain control of it.
• Lumian recognized Oseto’s monstrous child circling toward the corpse and the egg.
• The Knight of Swords told Lumian that Sharon would curse and control the monster while they attacked, and Lumian ran into the pale kingdom with the Sword of Courage drawn.

Lumian, Sharon, and Maric attacked Oseto's monstrous child in the Pale Kingdom, using a curse, the Sword of Courage, and a Sunlight Spear. The child survived by rebirthing itself and expanding its Otherworld to engulf the Death God's main hall and the Ancestor of the Phoenixes' corpse.

• Lumian crossed the pale wilderness toward Oseto's child while resisting the fear and awe inspired by the Ancestor of the Phoenixes' corpse.
• Sharon cursed Oseto's child, but it transformed into a flower bud and rebirthed itself to cast off the curse.
• Lumian attacked the reborn child with the Sword of Courage as Maric hurled a Sunlight Spear at it.
• Oseto's child summoned a White Bone Giant Serpent to block Maric's spear, and Lumian shattered the serpent with his sword.
• Sharon continued controlling Oseto's child as it contracted into a sphere and expanded its Otherworld over the Death God's main hall and the Ancestor of the Phoenixes' corpse.

Lumian, Sharon, and Maric fought Oseto's monstrous child, driving it into a phantom form and destroying it near the Pitch-Black Bird Egg. After the battle, Lumian's Reaper potion was fully digested, but terror overcame him as an anguished voice called for Ombella.

• The Bird-Clawed Monster Infant revived as Sharon's curse transformed it into a lamb, and Maric struck it with a Spear of Sunlight.
• Lumian attacked the lamb with the Sword of Courage, cutting it apart before its phantom escaped toward the Pitch-Black Bird Egg.
• Sharon and Maric tried to stop the phantom, but it broke free and raced toward the egg.
• Lumian hurled the Sword of Courage at the phantom, blasting it into blackened fragments and completing his Reaper potion digestion.
• The Ancestor of the Phoenixes' Corpse filled Lumian with terror, and he heard an anguished voice calling, “Ombella, where are you?”

Lumian escaped the pale kingdom as the corpse of Gregrace began awakening, after discovering that he had resonated with the creature inside the black egg. He reached the black church, where the goat-faced devil accused him of keeping the egg and attacked.

• Lumian realized that terror had made him resonate with the creature inside the black egg, and that its connection to Ombella could have let Oseto’s infant control or catalyze it.
• The black egg cracked, and the corpse of Gregrace began awakening, shaking the pale kingdom and forcing Sharron to flee with Lumian through the Underworld.
• Sharron’s Spirit World Traversal failed under the Underworld’s punishment, so she possessed Lumian and helped him escape the collapsing pale kingdom and climb through the black church.
• Lumian emerged from the church without the black bird’s egg, realizing he had failed the goat-faced devil’s commission and considering whether to fight it.
• The goat-faced devil accused Lumian of keeping the egg, then attacked him with a stark white leg bone.

Lumian defeated the Goat-Faced Devil long enough to retrieve the Abscessed Severed Hand's remains, then escaped the ruined church and returned to the River of the Underworld. As the boat carried him away, he speculated about the devil's cunning and the secrets surrounding the enormous egg before deciding the expedition had ended.

• Lumian used the Sword of Courage to strike the Goat-Faced Devil while Sharon slowed it, forcing it to collapse into black liquid that fled toward the Pale Kingdom.
• At the Knight of Swords' urging, Lumian stopped pursuing the devil and stored the Abscessed Severed Hand's half-body in the Traveler's Bag.
• Lumian fled the church and reached the River of the Underworld, where he waited for the boat rather than risk flying onto it.
• While waiting, Lumian reasoned that the Goat-Faced Devil had exaggerated its power and may have mistaken his resonance with the egg for taking it.
• Lumian boarded the boat and, as it carried him away from the darkness, reflected on the egg's possible connection to Ombella and felt the expedition had finally ended.

Lumian returned from the Underworld with part of the Abscessed Severed Hand’s body and learned Madam Magician’s suspicions about the Harvest Goddess Ombella’s fate. Back in Trier, he proposed using a fragment of Moran Avigny’s destiny to help Franca digest her Pleasure potion.

• Madam Magician opened a doorway out of the Underworld, and Lumian, Sharon, and Maric returned to Darsh Lake before Sharon and Maric departed.
• Madam Magician explained that Ombella’s remains were in New Silver City and suspected a high-ranking Error pathway being had stolen Ombella’s identity and destiny before her family killed her.
• Madam Magician said the Goat-Faced Devil’s remark about Lumian taking an egg needed further observation, and she speculated that Darsh Lake might have been connected to the ancient Death God Gregrace.
• Lumian told Madam Magician he wanted to go to Lenburg to find Morola, and she advised him to rest, study languages, and prepare for the Banishment City and his advancement.
• Lumian reunited with Franca, Jenna, and Anthony in Trier and recounted his journey through the Underworld.
• Lumian suggested transferring a fragment of Moran Avigny’s lustful destiny to a powerful Beyonder, such as a Pirate Admiral, to help Franca digest her Pleasure potion.

Lumian proposed using Moran Avigny's destiny to help Franca digest her Pleasure potion, and the group decided to investigate a Pirate Admiral as a target. Meanwhile, Peacock was exposed as a traitor who had escaped using a wax dummy, and the chapter ended with Franca suggesting they pursue Deep Sea Admiral Hal Constantine.

• Lumian convinced Franca that redirecting Moran Avigny's pleasure toward another person could help her digest her potion, and she agreed the plan was feasible.
• Lumian proposed targeting a Pirate Admiral, and Franca agreed to gather intelligence while the group considered it training for Jenna and Anthony as well.
• At Saint Viève Church, Angoulême suspected Peacock was April Fool's Day's hidden Church member and witnessed the church tremble after Peacock arrived for a meeting.
• Peacock revealed that his body was a wax dummy, declared that Crimson would descend, and melted away before Saint Viève and Plessy.
• Several days later, Franca suggested targeting Deep Sea Admiral Hal Constantine, and Lumian read his name from the gathered intelligence.

Lumian and his companions chose to pursue the Deep Sea Admiral, Hal Constantine, at Banamou Island, and Lumian used his messenger to reach the island ahead of them. Meanwhile, Angoulême found Sleeve Sword’s emergency contact instructions and suspected Sleeve Sword’s friend was himself.

• Lumian agreed with Franca and Jenna to pursue Hal Constantine at Banamou Island, and they planned to use a telegram to arrange a way there.
• On Banamou Island, adventurer Mason performed a ritual to deliver a letter to Lumian Lee and was frightened by the messenger Bainfel.
• Lumian received the blank letter in Trier, then told Bainfel that he himself was the reply.
• Lumian arrived at Banamou Harbor, watched Mason leave, and decided to explore before bringing Franca and the others.
• Angoulême found Sleeve Sword’s note instructing him to summon a rabbit-shaped messenger belonging to the Seven of Cups and suspected Sleeve Sword was referring to himself.

Lumian explored Banaam Harbor, considering whether its lawless population could serve his Witch of Despair advancement ritual. After learning about the pirate admirals and the feared Druid Frank Lee, he intimidated the Carnival Bar into sharing information and learned that King of Dusk Bratov Ivan was pursuing Deep Sea Admiral Hal Constantine over the legendary treasure Lost Newins.

• Lumian observed Banaam Harbor’s rampant violence and considered using a plague there for his Witch of Despair advancement ritual.
• Lumian listened to a pirate crew’s recruitment talk and learned that Frank Lee, the Queen of Stars’ first mate, was a Druid feared by pirates and adventurers.
• Lumian entered the Carnival Bar and demanded details about the pirate admirals, intimidating the patrons with hovering fireballs.
• The bartender told Lumian to seek information from the admirals’ enemies, and Lumian asked about each one.
• Lumian learned that Bratov Ivan suspected Hal Constantine’s Submersible Ships came from Lost Newins and had repeatedly clashed with him to uncover the treasure’s secrets.

Lumian used his provocation of Banaam Harbor’s pirates to lure the Deep Sea Admiral and weaken the defenses aboard the Newins, while he and his companions discussed a plague as a fallback plan. The chapter ended with Mason worrying that his Messenger ritual might bring disaster to the harbor.

• Flying Hardmark arrived at Carnival Bar, learned Lumian had sustained his fireballs for nearly a quarter of an hour, and left after inventing an excuse about a deal at the docks.
• Lumian walked out of the bar unchallenged, then told Franca to spread rumors that an unknown adventurer considered the pirates cowards and thought he could defeat any of them.
• Lumian explained that he wanted to draw the Deep Sea Admiral away from the Newins or make the admiral’s subordinates challenge him, leaving fewer Beyonders aboard the ship.
• Lumian, Franca, and Jenna discussed creating a plague and using Apothecaries from The Fool Pharmaceutical Company to prepare preventive potions for Banaam Harbor’s residents.
• Mason sneezed on the docks and feared that the Messenger ritual he had performed might bring disaster to Banaam Harbor.