Chapter Summaries

Fosis Tucker and Xia Xiu helped Lemuel Gaumont defeat the Flame Beast Interface's human host and contain him, then Heaven completed its mission and began its cleanup of Amsterdam. Xia Xiu killed District Official Gray and watched the fireworks he had arranged explode across the city as Norman became the next target.

• Fosis Tucker revealed himself using [Narcissus]'s mirror ability, poisoned the Flame Beast Interface's human host, and sealed him inside [Tutankhamun's Coffin].
• Xia Xiu and Lemuel Gaumont cleared the remaining enemies in the Flame Beast Interface, rescued Pansy Jane's team, and completed Eden's mission ahead of schedule.
• The Amsterdam Peacekeeping Force prepared to confront Norman while Xia Xiu went alone to execute District Official Gray.
• Xia Xiu petrified Gray with [Medusa], killed him with his Chainsword, and burned away the remains.
• At 20:00, Xia Xiu watched eight fireworks explode across the district and toasted Norman from Gray's office.

Ebei killed Norman by destroying the hidden Achilles’ Heel that made him immortal, and Heaven used [Path of Indignation] to alter ordinary people’s memories of the Amsterdam coup. After learning that the Crimson King had influenced recent events, Xia Xiu returned to Three Portlands, reunited with the Wonderful Animal Research Club, and hinted that he had brought a gift for the six rabbits.

• Ebei approached the defeated Norman, crushed his right hand, and pierced the thumb that was his [Achilles' Heel], causing Norman to rot and die.
• Heaven released [Path of Indignation] over Amsterdam to erase and reedit ordinary people’s memories of the coup and factory explosion.
• Xia Xiu parted from Fosis Tucker and Lemuel Gaumont, who revealed that Heaven’s [Fate Calculation] had identified the [Crimson King] as an influence on their recent events.
• Xia Xiu returned to Three Portlands and surprised Camille Siffney and the Wonderful Animal Research Club at the Teleportation Plaza.
• Xia Xiu caught up with the club at the Observatory, learned about their completed Flame Beast quota tasks and Deer College news, and chatted with Camille on the walk back to their dormitories.
• Xia Xiu said goodbye to Camille beneath the Douglas fir and silently considered the gift he had brought for the six rabbits.

After earning a huge reward for the Amsterdam mission, Xia Xiu collected 500 credits from Professor Laugen and agreed to investigate Meme Virus incidents in Brussels. He then brought the six rabbits a dangerous gift: a newly created BIO-007 Incubator made from flesh taken from The Boundless Covered by It.

• Xia Xiu reviewed his 21,500 Gospel Points, assessed his Heaven Lineage progress, and planned to buy two Thaumaturgies with compensation from Professor Laugen.
• Xia Xiu demanded 500 credits from Professor Laugen, who hired him to help investigate two Meme Virus incidents in the Brussels Region and used a Black Demon Hound’s litter to secure his agreement.
• After a practical Meme Surgery lesson, Xia Xiu retrieved his Amsterdam snacks and used Akulos to turn a scrap of flesh from The Boundless Covered by It into a BIO-007 Incubator.
• Xia Xiu carried the Incubator to the Magical Rabbit Orphanage, where he greeted the six rabbits and prepared to give them their local specialties.

Xia Xiu gave Baixue a gummy containing an [Incubator], then acquired and tested two new Thaumaturgies from Deer College’s Complete Escape Magic Compendium. After reading Professor Laugen’s case files, he recognized the Brussels-area [Tide Call] meme virus as a sign that the [Crimson King] had awakened and its “Reprise Performance” had begun.

• Xia Xiu visited the six rabbits and gave them gifts, feeding Baixue a gummy that contained the [Incubator] meant to seal [Mr. White Rabbit]’s [Position Swap].
• Xia Xiu redeemed [Substitute Swap] and [Partial Body Intangibility] from Deer College’s compendium, whose Thaumaturgies were protected by an [Antimeme Lock].
• Xia Xiu implanted [Swap Markers] in five [Holy Light Doves] and tested [Substitute Swap], teleporting through their positions as they exploded before he landed safely using Siliconization.
• Xia Xiu returned to Anderson Dormitory and read Professor Laugen’s files about the [Tide Call] meme virus in the Brussels area.
• Xia Xiu recognized [Tide Call] as the opening music for the [Crimson King]’s “Reprise Performance” and concluded that the [Crimson King] had awakened.

Xia Xiu reviewed reports on the [Tide Call] and [Beat the Shark] meme viruses, deciding to recommend an [Anti-Meme Lock] for the former while investigating the latter’s connection to Atlantis. He planned to ask Quinn to analyze the virus’s music for clues about the Sea-born spreading it.

• Xia Xiu abandoned antibody research for [Tide Call] and planned to recommend an [Anti-Meme Lock] to contain its spread.
• Xia Xiu watched Dr. Effie’s experiment, in which Wilder Morgan became violently hostile toward sharks after hearing [Beat the Shark Meme Transcription Music].
• Xia Xiu connected the meme virus to Atlantis, whose Sea-born civilization had a history of conflict with humans and could be approaching Terra’s mainland.
• Xia Xiu considered asking [Wand People Communications] about the Sea-born but decided [Vortex Music] might offer a better lead.
• Xia Xiu planned to obtain the transcription music from Professor Laugen and ask Quinn to search it for clues.

Xia Xiu received approval and a share of the [Sword of Judgment]'s computing resources to pursue two proposals for researching the [Tide Call] and [Beat the Shark] meme viruses. After listening to the translated music, he suspected its style would be familiar to [Vortex Music].

• Professor Laugen approved Xia Xiu's [Anti-Meme Lock] proposal for [Tide Call] and granted him 0.25% of the [Sword of Judgment]'s computing resources, while withholding lethal functions.
• Laugen told Xia Xiu that Catherine Villa had been dispatched by the [Hunting Hall] to Brussels.
• Xia Xiu explained that he planned to broadcast [Beat the Shark Meme-Translated Music] through a [Frequency Fusion Network Device] to measure the original strain's range, then use the data to narrow down its location.
• Laugen gave Xia Xiu the cassette, and Xia Xiu played the translated song after confirming that they were both protected against its contamination.
• Laugen analyzed the song's lyrics as a record of humanity's enslavement by the Sea-born, while Xia Xiu focused on its musical style and suspected [Vortex Music] would recognize it.

Xia Xiu traced the unusual Beat the Shark meme music to Amelia Watson and traveled to Heaven’s Brussels containment site to investigate it and Tide Call. He presented Dr. Effie with his research proposals, including a request for a Siren Records pass and concert tickets, which he said were part of the plan.

• Xia Xiu learned from Quinn that Beat the Shark reflected the Gura Clan’s forbidden-song style and had likely been reworked by Amelia Watson of Siren Records.
• Xia Xiu left for the Brussels area and entered Heaven’s containment site after identifying himself as Xiu Abraham and explaining his research purpose.
• Xia Xiu met junior researcher Dr. Effie and confirmed that he wanted to study the local Tide Call and Beat the Shark meme viruses.
• Xia Xiu reassured Dr. Effie that he would not interfere with the site’s research and handed over proposals requesting resources and D-class personnel.
• Dr. Effie questioned Xia Xiu’s requests for a Siren Records internal pass and concert tickets, and Xia Xiu said they were part of the plan.

Xia Xiu used D-class personnel to measure the spread of [Beat the Shark] and uncovered clues linking two Gura Clan members to Amelia Watson. He then completed a lock for [Tide Call], whose prophetic songs pointed toward Amelia and left him determined to learn her secrets.

• Xia Xiu assigned Bru, Ben Jack, and Old John to marked positions and used repeated memory deletions to measure [Beat the Shark]'s infection radius at eight kilometers.
• Xia Xiu compared the spread data with [Siren Records] and concluded that two Gura Clan members had come inland to find Amelia Watson, rather than being sheltered by her on their journey.
• Xia Xiu tested [Tide Call] on the three D-class personnel and spent three hours creating a lock that stopped infected people from transmitting its contamination.
• Xia Xiu reviewed the music the D-class personnel had heard and found that A1 had heard Amelia Watson's album [Daylight Saving Time], including three frequently repeated tracks.

Xia Xiu tracked down deep-sea hunter Catherine Villa at Bersel Aquarium, where they fought mutated sea-born and found two Gura Clan members. After Catherine killed them, the Mark of Ya'en activated and time rewound, leaving Xia Xiu outside the signing venue at 11:00.

• Xia Xiu met Amelia Watson at her album signing and asked about Daylight Saving Time before leaving at 13:10.
• A Holy Spirit Dove led Xia Xiu to Catherine Villa at Bersel Aquarium, where he asked her to share information about the sea-born.
• Catherine explained the sea-born Lineage’s sequences and ranks as the aquarium’s sharks mutated and attacked.
• Xia Xiu and Catherine fought off the sharks and a juvenile Gluvida, then found two Gura Clan members hiding in the aquarium.
• Catherine killed the two Gura Clan members, and Xia Xiu felt a strange familiarity as the Mark of Ya'en appeared and time rewound.
• Xia Xiu opened his eyes outside the signing venue, where the clock showed 11:00.

Xia Xiu investigated the Brussels time loop and discovered that Amelia Watson’s pocket watch caused the resets, with Amelia seeking to escape to Atlantis alongside Gor Gula and Blup Gula. After disrupting her attempt to recover memories from the previous loop and killing her, Xia Xiu was reset to 11:00 beneath the Clock Tower.

• Xia Xiu concluded that the Sea-born’s deaths triggered a narrative dead end and traveled to the Bersel Aquarium, where he met Catherine Villa and directed her toward Amelia Watson.
• Amelia Watson tried to lead Gor Gula and Blup Gula out of Brussels, but Catherine Villa attacked them; Amelia’s pocket watch then triggered a time reset.
• Xia Xiu confirmed that Amelia’s pocket watch controlled the loop and that Amelia needed to wind it and hear a particular song to recover memories from a previous timeline.
• After the reset, Xia Xiu disrupted the song and killed Amelia with a chainsword before the loop reset again, leaving him at 11:00 beneath the Clock Tower.

Xia Xiu tested Amelia’s time-loop memories, killed her, then used a new identity to help Gaul and Blupp escape while confronting Katherine. The chapter ended with time reversing as Xia Xiu relished his fierce battle with the Abyssal Hunter.

• Xia Xiu deduced that Amelia’s pocket watch restored memories at noon through songs, then sent his Holy Spirit Doves to search for her.
• Amelia woke after another reset, sensed Gaul and Blupp’s deaths, and headed toward Bersel Aquarium, but Xia Xiu shot her and took her pocket watch.
• At noon, Xia Xiu waited out the memory-acquisition period before returning to 11:00 and approaching the aquarium as a Church of the Flesh follower.
• Xia Xiu persuaded Gaul and Blupp to travel with him, learned about the Sea-born ranks and Half-breeds, and reunited them with Amelia.
• Katherine attacked the group near Attis Port, and Xia Xiu fought her with his abilities until time reversed during their clash.

In loop 4, Xia Xiu helped Amelia and the two Sea-born escape by ship, then discovered that their memories and identities were being shaped by supernatural forces. He killed them and Amelia again to trigger another rewind, ending with his suspicion that several Ether Lords and an Atlantean deity were involved.

• Xia Xiu repeated his escape with Gor Gula and Blup Gula, drove them and Amelia Watson to Attis Port, and boarded a whaling ship bound for Sicily.
• Amelia described her relationship with Gor, but Xia Xiu noticed contradictions in their memories and heard static obscure her account of leaving Atlantis.
• Xia Xiu recognized signs of [Fictional Event Assimilation] and [Persona Mask], then killed Amelia, Gor, and Blup to force another loop.
• After the rewind, Xia Xiu questioned Amelia about her identity and memories before shooting her with [Gorgon] and triggering another rewind.
• Xia Xiu identified [Ether Lord · Xinliezhi], [Ether Lord · Shalishi], and a deity from Atlantis as possible forces behind the events.

Xia Xiu identified the forces behind Amelia's time loop and secretly placed [BIO-006] inside her before letting events unfold. Amelia escaped with Gor Gula and Blup Gula aboard a whaling ship, where Catherine Villa confronted them, recovered memories of her sister, and was stabbed by Amelia with the [Dagger of Gemini] as a colossal presence rose from the deep.

• Xia Xiu concluded that [Ether Lord · Xinliezhi], [Ether Lord · Shalishi], and [Tairmisius] were involved in the incident, then sent [BIO-006] into Amelia as insurance.
• Amelia drove to Berser Street 12, picked up Gor Gula and Blup Gula without Mephistopheles, and raced toward Attis Port while the Abyssal Hunter pursued them.
• Amelia boarded a whaling ship with Gor and Blup, and Catherine Villa struck the departing vessel with a wave of sword energy before following them aboard.
• Catherine confronted the Sea-born after memories of her younger sister returned, while Blup revealed his hatred of the false memories and claimed Catherine and her sister were slaves of Atlantis.
• Amelia stabbed Catherine in the abdomen with the [Dagger of Gemini], and Catherine felt her power draining as the Sea-born bloodline surged and something enormous emerged from the deep sea.

Blup Gula revealed that Atlantis had engineered the events at Attis Port to summon an endless Sea-born swarm, while Xia Xiu called down Heaven’s space-based Divine Retribution Strike. The strike began raining fire on the swarm, leaving Blup and the Sea-born under judgment.

• Blup Gula told Gore Gula that the Ether Sovereigns had corrupted his memories and that Amelia and Katherine had been used in Atlantis’s plan to summon the swarm.
• Blup explained how the Prince of Joy’s Dagger of Gemini and the Fate Weaver’s scripts had staged the events leading to the swarm’s arrival at Attis Port.
• The Sea-born swarm multiplied, attacked the port, and began marching inland toward Brussels as Xia Xiu watched.
• Xia Xiu overclocked the Red Book and received temporary sword-bearing authority over the space-based weapon Sodom.
• Xia Xiu activated the Divine Retribution Strike, and Sodom opened thousands of portals that sent cross-shaped flames raining down on the Sea-born swarm.

Xia Xiu used Heaven’s divine punishment and his temporary sword-bearing authority to rescue Katherine and strip the blessing from Amelia’s heart. After the Sea-born assault collapsed, he carried Katherine to Attis Port and faced the kneeling Gor Gula, uncertain what to do with him.

• Heaven’s heavenly fire devastated the Sea-born swarms and turned the water near Attis Port into a burning road.
• A Holy Spirit Dove distracted Blup Gula, allowing Xia Xiu to free Katherine from the pillar of flesh and wound the Gluvida with heavenly fire.
• Xia Xiu released sixty-four Holy Spirit Doves to attack Blup Gula while Akulos devoured the blue vortex in Amelia’s heart, draining her divinity.
• Xia Xiu mocked and kicked the ruined Blup Gula away, then carried Katherine along the burning road toward the port as she briefly woke and fell asleep again.
• At Attis Port, Xia Xiu found Gor Gula kneeling before the burning pillar of flesh and wondered what to do with him.

The Thirteen Resolution Assembly reviewed the Brussels Sea-born Swarm Incident, approved measures involving the surviving Gor Gula and an investigation into Atlantis, and discussed Yahweh’s selection process for the fourth orbital weapon. After Catherine Villa returned the Daylight Saving Time Clock and promised Xia Xiu a favor, Xia Xiu discovered that he had gained a Heaven-given Key and possessed two Key Slots, leaving room for the Solomon Key he had planned to inherit.

• The Thirteen Resolution Assembly examined the Brussels Sea-born Swarm Incident archive and passed resolutions to contain Gor Gula, conduct a Chaos Sea military exercise, and locate Atlantis.
• The Assembly discussed Yahweh’s intervention in selecting a Swordbearer for the completed Sword of Damocles, with Xiu Abraham appearing on the candidate list.
• Obadiah told Xia Xiu that Gor Gula had reached the Central Containment Room and that witnesses at Attis Port had undergone memory erasure or rehabilitation.
• Catherine Villa thanked Xia Xiu for helping with the Sea-born, returned the Daylight Saving Time Clock, and offered to help him in the future.
• Xia Xiu discovered a Heaven-given Key symbol on his hand and realized he had two Key Slots, preserving the possibility of inheriting the Solomon Key.

After receiving confirmation that Brussels had adopted his Tide Call proposal and Eden had reimbursed his expenses and awarded him Gospel Points, Xia Xiu advanced to the Manifestor stage. With Number Two guarding him, he completed his Manifestation Projection in the Ether Sea and left behind a new star.

• Xia Xiu learned that the Brussels Peacekeeping Force had adopted his Tide Call proposal and that Eden had reimbursed his Overclocking costs and awarded him 10,000 Gospel Points.
• Xia Xiu inspected his completed first-stage profile and prepared to use Manifestation Projection to advance to Manifestor.
• Xia Xiu used the Rainbow Bridge to travel to the Wisdom Tree island, where Number Two agreed to protect him.
• Xia Xiu began Manifestation Projection as Ether Sea creatures and Hounds of Tindalos attacked, and Number Two destroyed the threats with his Railguns and lion-faced roar.
• Xia Xiu completed his projection, advanced to Stage Two: Manifestor at 1%, and left a star in the Ether Sea.

After advancing to Principality and linking to Heaven’s [Proverbs] Lineage, Xia Xiu set his sights on rising to the pinnacle of Heaven. At Deer College, Professor Laugen accepted his graduation application and sent him to Hieronymus for a task involving [Red Branch] as Three Portlands approached Berlin.

• Xia Xiu advanced from Great Angel to Principality, linked with [Proverbs], and gained protection for his star projection and new Lineage modules.
• Xia Xiu planned to return to Heaven and pursue positions at its highest levels, including the rank of [Seraphim] and the title of [Vicegerent of Heaven].
• Professor Laugen praised Xia Xiu’s research, noticed his graduation application, and learned that he had reached Stage Two.
• Xia Xiu greeted Professor Laugen as Principality Xiu Abraham, and Laugen assigned him to see Hieronymus for his graduation task involving [Red Branch].
• Professor Laugen promised that Xia Xiu would receive the Great Demon Hound before Three Portlands reached the Berlin Region.

Xia Xiu received a graduation assignment to help the [Thirteenth Department] suppress radical anomalous artists in Berlin, where escalating violence had made a clash seem inevitable. After learning that O'Brien held [Cú Chulainn], Xia Xiu headed to the Berlin Region, where the [Thirteenth Department] issued sweeping controls on anomalous artists.

• Professor Nimus gave Xia Xiu files about the conflict between Berlin's anomalous artists and the [Thirteenth Department], asking him to help eliminate the radicals.
• Xia Xiu read accounts of the '9.29' killing of inspector Thorn and the subsequent '10.04,' '10.07,' and '10.10' attacks, and concluded that bloodshed was likely.
• Xia Xiu learned that O'Brien possessed [Cú Chulainn] and decided to seek him out in the Berlin Region.
• On 1589.10.28, Three Portlands docked in the Berlin Region, and Xia Xiu read the [Thirteenth Department]'s notice imposing artist registration, monitoring, regulations, and penalties.

Xia Xiu joined Wendell to investigate the anomalous communities after the September 29 Massacre and learned how Thorn’s death had hardened Wendell against them. At a briefing, the Thirteenth Department identified Eliyan and his ties to [Red Branch] as targets, and Xia Xiu refocused the team on capturing them.

• Wendell told Xia Xiu about Thorn’s past, his faith in the anomalous communities, and his death at the hands of anomalous artists.
• Wendell asked Xia Xiu to hunt Thorn’s killers, and Xia Xiu agreed that this was why he had come.
• At the Thirteenth Department briefing, Wendell identified Eliyan as Thorn’s killer and described his human sculptures and the disappearances of young women.
• Wendell explained that Eliyan’s works had gained admirers among anomalous artists and had provoked conflict in the community.
• Xia Xiu urged Wendell to set aside the wider grievances and focus on apprehending Eliyan and [Red Branch].