Chapter Summaries

Kronos stole the Knowledge Emperor Beyonder characteristic from Stiano’s divine kingdom, but Stiano detected the theft and tried to pursue him. Kronos escaped after using Amanises’s charm to become a Knight of Misfortune, while Leodero’s attacks kept Stiano occupied and left him badly wounded.

• Kronos removed the Knowledge Emperor Beyonder characteristic from a hidden compartment in the Perfect Land and sealed the golden streak of light that flew from the divine throne.
• Stiano sensed the disturbance and left his staged fight with Leodero, but Adam told Leodero to stop him, forcing the two True Gods to fight in earnest.
• Stiano used a shield linked to his own body to buy time and sensed Kronos at the Cathedral of Machinery, but Kronos escaped the Perfect Land through its passage.
• Stiano attacked Kronos outside the Cathedral, and Kronos used Amanises’s charm to become a Knight of Misfortune and deflect the blow before fleeing.
• Adam urged Leodero to punish Stiano, and Leodero struck him with lightning, leaving Stiano able to endure only two more attacks before suffering severe injuries.

Kronos escaped Stiano after Adam used the eleven Blasphemy Cards to summon Emperor Roselle’s hidden power, while Leodero forced Stiano to concede and publicly apologize. On the battlefield in Backlund, Badheil was distracted by Stiano’s apology as Lilith quietly moved into position behind him.

• Stiano attacked Kronos, but Adam told Kronos to scatter his eleven Blasphemy Cards, which linked together and summoned Emperor Roselle’s power to shatter Stiano’s golden hand.
• Leodero struck Stiano again, severely injuring him, and Adam sent Kronos coordinates that let him teleport away through the Spirit World.
• Unable to find Kronos, Stiano conceded to Leodero, apologized publicly, and promised not to interfere with Amanises’s affairs before vanishing.
• Badheil heard Stiano’s apology while facing the Evernight Goddess, and Lilith moved behind him, preparing to exploit his distraction.

After Badheil fell, Adam completed his path to godhood, while Amanises negotiated the postwar settlement with Stiano and Lilith’s aid. Stiano failed to reclaim the Knowledge Emperor Beyonder Characteristic, and Kronos remained hidden in the Forsaken Land of the Gods.

• Herabergen explained that he had sided against Aucuses because he suspected Amanises had deliberately baited Badheil into attacking, and Aucuses accepted his defeat.
• Adam drank his final potion after Badheil fell and completed the last step of his path to godhood.
• Stiano found evidence that Kronos had robbed the Perfect Land, then contacted Amanises to admit fault and discuss the postwar settlement.
• Amanises agreed to give Lilith benefits for the Sanguine and demanded that the Church of Steam and Machinery withdraw from Loen, and Stiano accepted the terms.
• Stiano pressed Amanises for the Knowledge Emperor Beyonder Characteristic, but she denied possessing it and threw him out of the Darkened Heaven.
• Kronos arrived in the Forsaken Land of the Gods, where the True Creator concealed him from Amanises and Stiano.

Kronos disguised himself as Hermes and reached the Giant King's Court, where Klein’s expedition was fighting Sasrir’s evil spirit. He intervened to stabilize Lovia and revealed that Adam had become a True God, leaving Amon watching from the shadows.

• Adam told Kronos to remain in the Forsaken Land of the Gods and sent him divinity and Hermes’s identity information.
• Kronos absorbed Adam’s divinity, unsealed more of God Almighty’s Substitute’s power, and transformed into Hermes.
• Kronos traveled west to the Giant King’s Court and found Klein’s group battling Sasrir’s evil spirit.
• Kronos used the power of Imagination to partition the battlefield and temporarily stabilize Lovia.
• Kronos greeted Sasrir and Klein in Ancient Hermes, then told Sasrir that Adam had become a True God.
• Amon watched from hiding and privately disparaged Adam’s ascension.

Kronos concealed his confrontation with Sasrir inside an imagined world and defeated him using purification, light, and the River of Time. After Sasrir was destroyed, Kronos gained access to the First Blasphemy Slate and prepared to record its contents for his family.

• Amon shifted his attention toward the Giant King's Court after realizing he needed to become a god before he could take Sefirah Castle from Klein.
• Kronos told Sasrir he had come on Adam's orders to inspect him, and Sasrir attacked him after suspecting the claim was false.
• Kronos concealed the battle and analyzed Sasrir's corruption while using light and the River of Time to weaken him.
• Kronos exploited Sasrir's drowsiness, disrupted the surrounding force fields, and pierced his shoulder with a purifying spear.
• Kronos trapped Sasrir in a shrinking cage of Holy Light and killed him with a spear through the head.
• Kronos approached the First Blasphemy Slate and decided to record its contents for his family's future use.

Derrick opened the gate to a sunlit sea, and Kronos helped the City of Silver prepare to leave the Forsaken Land of the Gods. The True Creator brought Kronos to Ouroboros, who revealed that Kronos had cut off his and Will Auceptin’s paths and said they could make a deal once Kronos became an Archangel.

• With Klein’s approval, Derrick opened the gate and revealed a golden sea to Colin Iliad and the people of the City of Silver.
• Kronos emerged with the Blasphemy Slate and handed it to Amon, but the True Creator swallowed Amon in a domain of corruption.
• Kronos told Klein and Derrick that Mr. Fate had sent him to help, and said the Ghost Empire would carry the people of the Forsaken Land of the Gods to the new world.
• Klein agreed to notify the other cities while the City of Silver coordinated their evacuation aboard the Ghost Empire.
• The True Creator brought Kronos to the Holy Mountain, where Ouroboros said Kronos had cut off his and Will Auceptin’s paths and that he would wait to make a deal when Kronos became an Archangel.

After the war, the victors reshaped the Northern Continent’s political order while Kronos’s new discipline spread as part of his advancement ritual. Kronos remained in the Forsaken Land of the Gods as refugees arrived at the Giant King’s Court, awaiting the ritual’s completion.

• Kronos thanked Ouroboros, left the Holy Mountain, and flew toward the Giant King’s Court.
• The Evernight Goddess’s victory ended the war, and the Church of Evernight took control of the Feysac Empire’s Church of the God of Combat while the Church of Steam and Machinery lost much of its influence in Loen.
• Fan Aistin emptied Saint Hilleran Cathedral and handed the Church of Steam and Machinery’s political connections to Marquis Argel, while the Negan and Levett families also strengthened their positions.
• Trunsoest, Olnia, and Lilith agreed not to seize Loen or provoke Kronos, while the Argel, Negan, and Levett families promoted his new discipline across the world.
• Kronos stayed by the Giant King’s Court, training and waiting as his avatar’s teaching helped digest his potion and the advancement ritual progressed.
• Klein coordinated refugee transport aboard the Ghost Empire as the City of Silver received the arrivals, many of whom wept after experiencing sunlight and moonlight.

Kronos completed the Knowledge Emperor potion ritual and advanced to Archangel, but his transformation left him short of the anchors needed to stabilize himself. His prepared contingencies gathered faith from the Naga Tribe and Sonia Sea Fleet, allowing him to maintain his humanity and complete the advancement.

• Kronos contacted Marquis Argel, learned that his name and achievements had spread widely through the Northern Continent, and decided to begin his advancement.
• Kronos drank the Knowledge Emperor potion and endured the knowledge torrent as it transformed his soul and merged his pathway powers.
• Kronos completed his transformation but realized he lacked enough anchors to stabilize his divinity.
• Kronos activated Psychological Suggestions in the Naga Tribe and Sonia Sea Fleet, prompting them to chant his honorific name.
• Marquis Argel joined the chanting effort and dealt with nearby MI9 personnel while streams of faith reached Kronos, who stabilized himself and became a Knowledge Emperor.

After advancing to Sequence One, Kronos explored his new authority over knowledge and time, then helped the people of the Forsaken Land of the Gods return to the world aboard the Ghost Empire. He left them near Bayam and traveled to Midseashire to find out how his family and the war were faring.

• Kronos realized the Knowledge Emperor’s dominion over knowledge could help him digest his potion and considered joining the Twilight Hermit Order to study the Second Blasphemy Slate, as well as pursuing an emperor’s title through Nast’s Pirate Duchy.
• Kronos discovered that the Time Stone’s power let him enter the true River of Time and make small changes to the past and future, though he held off on trading with Ouroboros for fate’s power.
• Kronos revealed himself as Mr. Fate at the Giant King’s Court, where Klein confirmed that the known cities’ residents had gathered and Derrick asked if they could leave.
• Kronos brought the Ghost Empire to the gathered survivors, who boarded the ship; as they sailed beyond the Forsaken Land of the Gods, Klein’s ritual was completed and he teleported away.
• Kronos delivered the survivors near Bayam, then traveled through the Spirit World to Midseashire and learned that Marquis Argel was at the Sonia Sea Fleet’s base while his mother and younger sister had moved to Constant City.
• Kronos went to the fleet’s base to find Marquis Argel, confident that its security could not stop him.

Kronos coordinated with the Sanguine, Philip, Amyrius, and Marquis Argel to prepare a coup against the Augustus Family, while Trunsoest secretly aided their plans. After arriving in Backlund and seeking the Church of Evernight’s support, Kronos was summoned by the Evernight Goddess.

• Kronos told Marquis Argel that he had advanced to Sequence One, Knowledge Emperor, and learned that William Augustus had reappeared among the royal family.
• Kronos met Olnia and Olmer, learned that William was Trunsoest, and agreed to a plan granting the Sanguine legal identities in exchange for Trunsoest’s help restraining the Augustus angels.
• Kronos and Marquis Argel discussed the coup with Philip and Amyrius, who agreed to prepare their forces while Trunsoest intercepted MI9 intelligence.
• Marquis Argel and Kronos brought the Sonia Sea army to Backlund, where Beyonders entered the city to prepare to seize its gates when the coup began.
• Kronos went to Saint Samuel Cathedral to seek the Church of Evernight’s support, and Lady Arianna bowed to him before saying that the Evernight Goddess requested his presence.

Kronos secured Amanises’s support for his coup and received guidance about the Hidden Sage, time, and fate. When the Sonia Fleet arrived at Pritz Harbor, the coup began, and Marquis Argel demanded that the Augustus Family surrender power as the Church of Evernight blocked the Church of Storms.

• Kronos met Amanises in Darkened Heaven, agreed not to suppress the Church of Storms after the coup, and received a jade token for contacting her.
• Amanises warned Kronos about the Hidden Sage and explained how his time authority connected to Will Auceptin, Ouroboros, and fate.
• Kronos and Archbishop Anthony prepared for the coup, which would begin when the Sonia Fleet reached Pritz Harbor.
• Gawinton sent Grove and Backlund’s garrison to Pritz Harbor, allowing Kronos’s Beyonder squad to open Backlund’s gates for Marquis Argel’s and Philip’s forces.
• Marquis Argel demanded that Gawinton hand over power while Archbishop Anthony’s forces surrounded Holy Wind Church to keep the Church of Storms from intervening.

Kronos and his allies staged a confrontation with the Augustus Family to conceal his role in the coup, then forced the royal family to surrender political and military power. The Loen Kingdom passed from Augustus rule to the Argel Family, while Gawinton was left with only an empty title.

• Derlink attacked Marquis Argel, but Kronos blocked the blow and quickly overpowered Derlink in close combat.
• Gawinton summoned “William,” who warned that the Sanguine were involved; Olnia, Olmer, and Colin then confronted the Augustus Family, and Derlink withdrew.
• Olnia and “William” entered the Spirit World to negotiate, while Kronos followed; they discussed and changed their plan before emerging together.
• “William” announced that the Augustus Family would withdraw from governing Loen and assigned military commands and territories to the Sanguine, Marquis Argel, Duke Negan, and Amyrius.
• Gawinton accepted the loss of his family’s power, the soldiers celebrated, and the Argel Family became Loen’s leading power; Grove returned to find Backlund transformed.

Kronos joined Adam’s Twilight Hermit Order in exchange for access to the Blasphemy Slate, then began preparing to replace Nast as king of the seas. After gathering support and securing the other pirates’ neutrality, he launched his plan with Gner’s challenge to Bratov.

• Adam visited Kronos and invited him to join the Twilight Hermit Order, offering him a year to study the Blasphemy Slate; Kronos accepted.
• Kronos decided to seize Nast’s position and rallied Hal, Gner, Todd, and the Naga Demigod to his cause.
• Kronos arranged for Cattleya and Edwina to stay neutral, while the Evernight Goddess offered support that he declined.
• Gner challenged Bratov aboard the Twilight and defeated him after a brutal four-hour battle, losing an arm in the process.
• Gner displayed Bratov’s head and declared that he had taken control of the Twilight as the new Vice Admiral Dusk.

Kronos confronted Nast aboard the Ghost Empire and demanded control of the Pirate Duchy, promising to raise it into a Pirate King Kingdom while keeping Nast as grand duke. After defeating Nast in battle, Kronos gave him another chance to accept, and Nast agreed.

• Pirates across the Five Seas awaited Nast's response to the battle, but the Ghost Empire appeared beside the Black Emperor and Kronos confronted him.
• Nast recognized Kronos as a Sequence One Knowledge Emperor and asked what he wanted; Kronos demanded the Pirate Duchy and promised Nast could remain its grand duke.
• Nast refused, explaining that handing over the duchy could cost him the faith that sustained him, and he attacked Kronos.
• Kronos endured Nast's punch, overwhelmed him with knowledge, dodged the Storm of Light, and shot him with Judgment, imposing the rule that living people could not wear armor.
• Kronos wounded Nast's spirit with another infusion of knowledge, then offered him one last chance to accept the proposal, and Nast agreed to avoid being killed.

After Nast surrendered the Pirate King Kingdom to Kronos, rival factions attempted an armed invasion while Kronos studied the Second Blasphemy Slate. Adam intervened to stop the attack, leaving the factions warned and Nast free to mock the rescuers.

• Nast retained his title and White Maple Duchy while managing the Pirate King Kingdom for Kronos, who had promised to return the kingdom and share the Black Emperor Card’s knowledge after five years.
• Kronos studied the Second Blasphemy Slate at the Twilight Hermit Order’s headquarters, rapidly advancing his potion digestion.
• Angels from the Churches of Steam and Machinery, the Eternal Blazing Sun, and Knowledge joined an Intis fleet to attack the Ghost Empire while Nast was held back.
• Adam appeared, erased the cannon fire and Intis warships, and warned the attackers that the Pirate King Kingdom belonged to the Twilight Hermit Order.
• The angels accepted Adam’s message for their gods and began rescuing the Intis soldiers, while Nast mocked them as they worked.

After Adam’s arrival ended the conflict, Kronos sensed Bernadette reaching the Primitive Island and followed her there. Bernadette found Roselle’s tomb and briefly awakened her father, while Kronos remained hidden until Roselle asked to meet Mr. Fate and Kronos revealed himself.

• Adam’s arrival ended the conflict, and the powerful factions agreed not to provoke the Pirate King Kingdom.
• Kronos studied the Blasphemy Slate until Bernadette’s recitation of the Fool’s Honorific Name alerted him that she had reached the Primitive Island.
• Bernadette followed Edwards to Roselle’s tomb, where the Mother Goddess of Depravity’s corruption made her pregnant before she escaped into the tomb as a stream of information.
• Roselle attacked Bernadette until she said “hometown,” which briefly restored his lucidity and allowed her and Klein to seal him.
• Klein visited Roselle and mentioned Mr. Fate’s collection of Blasphemy Cards, prompting Roselle to ask for a meeting with him.
• Kronos answered Roselle’s request by appearing in the tomb with a Knowledge Torrent.

Kronos negotiated with Roselle for the location of a Knowledge Emperor Beyonder characteristic, offering help for Bernadette and Bornova and threatening Roselle when he resisted. Roselle agreed, revealed the characteristic had fallen into the Serenzo River, and made Kronos a temporary item to find it; Kronos also used his time authority to halt Roselle’s corruption for now.

• Kronos revealed that he had recognized Klein as the person behind Mr. Fool when he first entered Sefirah Castle, then asked Roselle for a deal involving the Knowledge Emperor Beyonder characteristic.
• Kronos offered to help Bernadette obtain a Sequence One characteristic and free Bornova, but threatened Roselle’s children when Roselle questioned the promises.
• Roselle agreed to the deal and explained that the Knowledge Emperor characteristic had fallen into the Serenzo River after his death.
• Roselle used his Artisan power to make a temporary Beyonder item that could track his aura and guide Kronos to the characteristic for one week.
• Kronos used his power of time to halt the corruption eroding Roselle, surprising both Roselle and Klein.

Kronos found the second Knowledge Emperor Beyonder characteristic in the Serenzo River near Trier, but an Angel of the Eternal Blazing Sun confronted him and asked him to stay with the Church. The chapter ended with Kronos questioning what would happen if he refused.

• Kronos gave Roselle’s radar to Kronos and reassured Klein that he should focus on becoming stronger despite the true gods’ attention and interference.
• After leaving the mausoleum, Kronos found Bernadette advancing to Sage and left her a letter saying she could visit Roselle after her advancement.
• Kronos searched the Serenzo River basin with the radar and, near Trier, used his spirituality and the Law of Beyonder Characteristic Convergence to locate a dark gold Knowledge Emperor characteristic hidden in algae.
• An Angel from the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun approached Kronos after sensing his aura and politely asked him to stay with the Church for a day.
• Kronos denied having harmful intentions, but when the Angel persisted, he asked what would happen if he refused.

Kronos subdued a Lightseeker angel in Trier and brought him to Adam, who agreed to broker a trade with Aucuses for a portion of Leodero’s divinity. Adam obtained Leodero’s agreement to the exchange, but Leodero demanded the Twilight Hermit Order’s remaining contacts in the Loen Kingdom as payment.

• Kronos concealed his fight in Trier, overwhelmed the Lightseeker with knowledge and twilight attacks, then subdued him with corruption and carried him away.
• Church agents investigated the scene, and Aucuses learned of the incident but found no trace of Kronos.
• Kronos returned to the Twilight Hermit Order with the Lightseeker and asked Adam to help trade him to Aucuses for Leodero’s divinity.
• Adam agreed to broker the deal and went to Pasu Island to ask Leodero for a portion of his divinity.
• Adam invoked Leodero’s old favor, and Leodero agreed to provide the divinity if Adam gave him the Twilight Hermit Order’s remaining contacts in Loen.

Adam traded the Twilight Hermit Order’s political and military personnel to Leodero for divinity, which Kronos used to complete God Almighty’s Substitute. After studying the Blasphemy Slate and digesting much of his potion, Kronos left for Midseashire to gather materials for putting its knowledge into practice.

• Adam gave Leodero a list of the Twilight Hermit Order’s political and military personnel in exchange for a portion of Leodero’s divinity, and Leodero sent a former Mandated Punisher to take over the listed members in Backlund.
• Adam brought the divinity to Kronos, who accepted it as the final piece of God Almighty’s Substitute; its five pairs of Wings of Light became complete and its spirit emerged.
• Kronos threatened the newly awakened Wings of Light with the Judgment revolver, and it submitted to him.
• Adam suggested that making Blasphemy Cards might help Kronos digest his potion, but Kronos continued studying the Blasphemy Slate for more than half a month and digested over half his potion.
• Kronos thanked Adam and left the Twilight Hermit Order for Midseashire, intending to visit his family and use materials stored there to make something capable of containing more knowledge.