Chapter Summaries

Ace prepared to ambush the Punishers while arranging for the High Tower Territory’s wizard apprentices to spread across the New Continent. Karim led a small group to hunt an Earth Giant Bear and obtain the Fate-Hunting Arrow, leaving the rest of his forces protected at camp.

• Ace encouraged Daina and the others to learn from divine descendants while choosing paths suited to wizards, then used Teleportation Gate to travel toward the Punishers.
• Ace warned Betty to evacuate promising apprentices, and nearly one-third of the territory’s wizard apprentices departed to establish Regional Magic Councils across the New Continent.
• Ace watched Karim’s roughly three hundred Punishers arrive and camp near the Lar Mountains.
• Karim told Turien that the group needed a weapon to kill the elusive Dark Crow Devil, then left camp with Alesha, Turien, and five Heroes to hunt an Earth Giant Bear.
• Ace followed Karim’s group, noting that Karim had left the City of Guardians at camp, while Alesha warned the hunters not to approach the bear’s marsh habitat.

Ancesta and the knight attendants discovered a massive demon force near Mount Baal and fought back using a newly formed collective technique. Their charges proved unexpectedly effective, and Ancesta began testing what seemed to be the demons’ unusual weakness.

• Ancesta spotted over ten thousand imps and thirty demons in the Abyssal Projection, sent a warning to the High Tower Territory, and ordered Donna and the others to retreat while he monitored the enemy.
• Daina informed Ace of the threat, while Arno rode south to support Ancesta and Auli prepared to follow after learning about Daina’s magical traps and Demonized Yellow Gunpowder.
• Ancesta lured three pursuing demons away from the main force, then joined the knight attendants in a wedge formation and killed them with repeated Knight Charges.
• Ancesta led the knights against seven or eight Shadow Demons and over a hundred imps, and their linked Hearts of Virtue helped them scatter the attackers and kill another demon.

Ancesta discovered that combining virtue creeds created a holy light that weakened demons, while Karim and Alesha confronted a gigantic mutated bear in a swamp. As Karim trapped the bear, Ace watched closely and decided he wanted to capture one of the craftsmen god’s descendants alive.

• Ancesta learned that the five fused virtue creeds created an incomplete Virtue Holy Light, and he called for Arno to bring the virtues of courage and justice.
• Alex led the demon army toward Mount Baal, while Ancesta retreated to rendezvous with Arno and strengthen their holy light.
• At a swamp in the Lar Mountains, Alesha used an artifact to investigate the marsh and awoke a nearly three-hundred-meter Mud Swamp Giant Bear.
• Ace recognized Alesha’s artifact-crafting abilities and decided to capture one of the God of Craftsmen’s descendants alive.
• Karim’s Guardian Authority failed to stop the bear’s attack, but he trapped it in a Giant Light Shield Prison as Alesha ran over with the Fate-Hunting Arrow.

Ace waited for Alesha to kill the Mud Swamp Giant Bear, then stole the Fate-Hunting Arrow and killed Karim. He subdued Alesha and used her dream to continue an experiment in the developing dream world within his Mindscape.

• Karim exhausted himself holding the cage together while Alesha used the Fate-Hunting Arrow to pierce the Mud Swamp Giant Bear's heart and kill it.
• Ace seized the arrow through a Teleportation Gate, lured Karim through another gate, and killed him with the Four-Elemental Grinding Disc.
• Ace repeatedly cast Elemental Rupture Technique, destroying Alesha's strange artifacts, then put her to sleep and drew her into his Mindscape.
• Ace sealed Alesha in ice and snow and extracted her nightmare, which he placed in his dream world's semi-finished human realm.

Ace remade Alesha’s memories and learned that Alex had launched a demon invasion, forcing the High Tower Territory to prepare an evacuation. He set out to obtain Guardian City and judged that the High Tower would need to become a god-protected city-state to survive the conflict with the Northern Five States.

• Ace stored the Fate-Hunting Arrow, then used a thousand-year dream to reshape Alesha’s memories and make her loyal to him.
• Ace left Turien and the five Heroes asleep under Dream Mist and took Alesha toward the Punishers’ encampment.
• After crossing the Lar Mountains, Ace learned that Alex had led demons north and contacted Daina through the magic network.
• Ace ordered Daina to evacuate the magic population and materials aboard Betty’s four ships while the territory’s defenders delayed the demons.
• Ace decided he needed the Punisher Organization’s Guardian City and planned to strike back against the Northern Five States to force a ceasefire.
• Alesha advised transforming the High Tower Territory into a city-state under a god’s protection, and Ace agreed that the wizards needed a god to grant them legitimate standing.

Ancesta and his knights battled Alex near Mount Baal, but Alex overwhelmed their Five Virtues Holy Light. With Arno and Xavier arriving at the last moment, Ancesta united seven virtue powers and awakened Mercy Holy Light as Alex’s Dark Lightning struck.

• Ace and Alesha planned to obtain the Treasure-like Artifact, City of Guardians, from the Punishers so Ace could eliminate them.
• Ancesta led his knights in a charge, and Alex recognized their Five Virtues Holy Light as a force resembling the Lord of Dawn’s power.
• Alex unleashed his Shadow, swallowed the demons, and scattered the knights’ holy light with a strike from his Shadow Halberd.
• Arno and Xavier crashed onto the battlefield as Alex launched Dark Lightning at Ancesta and the knights.
• Donna urged Arno and Xavier to awaken their virtue creeds, and Ancesta joined their six powers with his Mercy Heart Power.
• Ancesta’s Mercy Heart Power transformed into azure Mercy Holy Light, and he raised his sword to face Alex’s attack.

Ancesta wounded Alex with holy light and tried to help Arno become a Holy Light Knight, but Alex began creating an Abyssal Projection. Meanwhile, the Witch and Soron watched the battle, and Alesha reached Guardian City.

• Ancesta diverted Alex's attack, then struck him with an Azure Lance that pierced his left shoulder and left a burning Holy Mark.
• Ancesta and the other knights poured their creeds into Arno so he could awaken as a Holy Light Knight, and Arno remembered his father calling him a hero.
• Alex removed the Azure Lance, began repairing his shoulder with shadow, and covered Mount Baal with an Abyssal Projection.
• The Witch and Soron watched from afar as Ambrio departed, and the Witch said she hoped the High Tower would survive after being badly weakened.
• Alesha arrived at Guardian City in the northern Lar Mountains and pounded on its gates.

Ace wiped out the Punishers and confronted Ambrio, a devil’s believer who escaped by scattering into Pain Flames. As Ace raced toward Mount Baal, Ancesta faced Alex’s killing blow, which a blood-red beam intercepted at the last moment.

• Alesha used Karim’s blood to claim Guardian City, then fled with it as Ace’s Dream Mist and Elemental Grinding Disc destroyed the Punishers’ camp.
• Ambrio attacked Alesha, but Ace emerged through a Light Gate and severed Ambrio’s neck with the Four-Elemental Grinding Disc.
• Ace burned Ambrio’s head with Glazed Heart Flame, but Ambrio’s headless body scattered Pain Flames and some escaped.
• Ace brought Guardian City into his Mindscape and began erasing Karim’s mark while hurrying toward Mount Baal.
• Alex cornered Ancesta as Xavier fled with the incapacitated Arno, and Ancesta launched a final charge against Alex’s halberd.
• A blood-red beam struck Alex’s pitch-black halberd before it could hit Ancesta.

Donna awakened as the Sacrifice Knight and died after shielding Ancesta from Alex’s Shadow Halberd. Grief-stricken and exhausted, Ancesta charged Alex, but a second streak of blood-red light appeared just as Alex’s halberd pierced them both.

• Donna’s love for Ancesta awakened her Knight’s Heart, and she transformed into the Sacrifice Knight to strike at Alex’s Shadow Halberd.
• Arno saw an illusion of his father sacrificing himself to save others before Donna was pierced through the heart.
• Alex revealed that his father had sacrificed himself—and imprisoned clansmen—to give Alex a Frost Bloodline Talent, then argued that love and sacrifice arose from selfishness.
• Donna died in Ancesta’s arms after asking to touch his face, and Alex charged at the grieving knight.
• Ancesta used his remaining Mercy Holy Light to countercharge Alex, but his strength failed and the halberd pierced them both as another blood-red radiance appeared.

Arno awakened his Courage Heart Power and became the Prime Material Plane’s sole Great Knight, then protected the wounded Ancesta and the other knight attendants. As Alex unleashed an Abyssal Projection over Mount Baal, Arno flew to confront him in battle.

• Ancesta was thrown hundreds of meters by the halberd’s shadows, while Sacrifice Holy Light repaired his chest; Ace saw a red flash and teleported toward it.
• Arno remembered his father’s words about courage, united his Heart Power, and awakened orange-yellow Courage Holy Light.
• Alex spread his wings and transformed Mount Baal into an Abyssal Projection, but Arno’s Courage Holy Light grew strong enough to make him a Great Knight.
• Arno rescued Ancesta and sheltered the other senior knight attendants with Courage Holy Light, while Alex’s shadowy servants melted before him.
• Arno declared himself the Great Knight of Courage and charged Alex with a Holy Light sword as Alex struck back with a giant shadow axe.

Arno fought the Abyssal Great Demon Alex and revealed that his Courage Holy Light could take manifested form, while Ace arrived at the High Tower Territory and tried to make the Treasure-like Artifact Guardian City usable. The battle remained unresolved as Auli reached Mount Baal and found the mountain's former location covered in ominous shadows.

• Arno pierced Alex's heart, but Alex dispersed into shadows and bound Arno with shadow tentacles as the knight attendants watched.
• Ace reached the High Tower Territory, ordered Daina Betty and Betty to organize the defenses and evacuation, then hurried toward Mount Baal.
• Ace discovered that Guardian City remained tied to Karim's bloodline, and Alesha offered to use her craftsman's authority to control it.
• Alex attacked the shadow mass holding Arno, but Arno's Courage Holy Light manifested as a winged orange-yellow lion and burst free.
• Auli arrived at Mount Baal and found its former location covered in pitch-black shadows.

Auli's improvised Flameblast struck Alex as Arno's Courage Holy Light overwhelmed him, leaving Alex gravely wounded and fleeing toward the Northern Abyss Projection. Arno pursued Alex while Auli was told to return to the High Tower and seek Ace's support.

• Auli gathered Demonic Glycerin and fuel gas to cast a powerful fire-and-wind Flameblast at the black shadow.
• Arno's Mighty Lion of Light countered Alex, who struggled against the holy light and pretended to hold back.
• Auli saw Arno's lion of light fighting Alex and hurled her Flameblast into the black shadow.
• The blast devastated Alex, who mistook its power for Ace's arrival and fled toward the Northern Abyss Projection.
• The witch and Soron reconsidered the High Tower's strength, while Arno sent Auli to escort Melancholy Uncle and the others home and pursued Alex.

Auli pursued Arno into the Northern Abyss Projection and found Alex had transformed into a legendary six-winged High Demon, overwhelming Arno despite the holy light. Auli and Arno launched a massive fireball and fled, suspecting Alex’s sudden advancement depended on the Abyss’s territory.

• Auli left Ancesta and the other injured knights with Xavier and flew after Arno, while Ancesta collapsed after sending them away.
• Alex retreated into the Northern Abyss Projection, recovered as its power gathered, and evolved into a six-winged demon who overpowered Arno.
• Arno tried to escape Alex and realized the demon’s sudden advancement might be tied to the Abyssal Projection territory.
• Auli arrived and formed a huge Flame Rune Structure fireball to help Arno, but Alex evaded her aim.
• Arno warned Auli to flee beyond the Abyss’s range after throwing the fireball, and they launched it and retreated.

Ace replenished his magic near Mount Baal while the witch and Soron recognized his strength, and Xavier’s knights arrived at his domain. As Alex pursued Auli and Arno, Ancesta awakened the Mercy Virtue Rune, and Auli sacrificed her chance to escape with Arno by hurling him toward Mount Baal.

• Ace meditated and replenished his magic with stellar power, drawing the attention of the witch and Soron, who identified him as the ruler of the High Tower’s forces.
• Xavier and the High Tower’s knight attendants followed Ace’s invitation into his Mindscape, where Alesha welcomed them.
• Ancesta endured pain from his newly remade heart, awakened the second-level Virtue Rune Mercy, and sent a blue goose of light toward the explosion.
• As Alex pursued them, Auli recalled how Arno had protected her and decided to hold Alex back so Arno could escape.
• Auli told Arno that she liked him, wrapped him in protective wind magic, and hurled him toward Mount Baal.

Arno, Auli, and Ancesta fought Alex near Mount Baal, but Alex overwhelmed them as Ancesta prepared a final charge to cover Arno's escape. Arno fled with the dying Auli, hoping Ace could save her.

• Auli burned her life force to bind Alex, but he wounded her gravely before Ancesta arrived as a Great Goose of Light.
• Ancesta combined the holy lights of Mercy and Sacrifice, while Arno summoned his Mighty Lion of Light and headed toward Mount Baal with Auli.
• Ace learned of the battle, left his villa, and teleported toward the strange presence near Mount Baal.
• Alex transformed into a gigantic shadow High Demon, shattered Arno's lion and Ancesta's goose, and threatened to kill them.
• Ancesta aged rapidly as he transformed his light into a knight and charged Alex, telling Arno to flee with Auli.
• Arno escaped with the barely conscious Auli, promising to take her to the High Tower so Ace could save her.

Alex defeated Ancesta and awakened his premature Treasure Tool, the Star of Extreme Evil, flooding Mount Baal with corrupting black liquid. Arno lost Auli and his Courage Rune, then faced Alex in despair as Ancesta’s words echoed in his mind.

• Ancesta exhausted his life while attacking Alex, and Alex kicked his lifeless body away.
• The Abyssal Projection Lair entered Alex, and he formed the Star of Extreme Evil, whose black liquid began flooding Mount Baal.
• Ace observed the spreading evil from a distance while Arno tried to shield Auli and Ancesta from the liquid.
• Alex pierced Arno with his Shadow Halberd, but Auli transformed into wind and carried Arno away before dying from her wound.
• Arno’s Courage Rune shattered as he mourned Auli and Ancesta, then looked toward Alex while recalling Ancesta’s warning about gazing into the abyss.

After losing his Courage Rune, Arno absorbed the Black Mud and awakened a terrifying power of sin, confronting Alex’s demonic forces. Ace arrived in time to witness Arno’s transformation and recognized the ominous runes forming in his heart from his first cycle.

• Arno leaped into the black liquid after his Courage Rune collapsed, absorbing its sins and negative emotions.
• Alex expanded the Star of Extreme Evil and unleashed more Black Mud as Arno drew the liquid into himself.
• Ace concealed himself near Mount Baal and used Understand the Unknown to discover that Arno was devouring the Black Mud.
• Arno emerged wrapped in Black Mud and dark crimson aura, then blasted Alex’s Black Mud humanoids aside with a shockwave.
• Ace recognized the strange runes forming in Arno’s heart as resembling the hatred he had witnessed on Mount Baal in his first cycle.

Arno devoured the Black Mud humanoids and transformed his creed into abhorrence, becoming an Anti-Knight who fought Alex. As Arno’s power began to falter, Ace recognized his weaknesses and determined that Auli had to be saved.

• Arno absorbed the Black Mud humanoids into his heart and manifested abhorrence as a new creed, while Ace realized Auli still had a chance to survive.
• Alex fused half of the Star of Extreme Evil into himself and became a pseudo-rank High Demon as Arno formed dark-red armor and a Knight’s longsword.
• Arno froze Alex with his abhorrence and attacked him, but Alex used Shadow Form to evade and wounded Arno in return.
• Arno explained that he had changed his creed because Virtue Holy Light could not save them, then continued attacking Alex with overwhelming momentum.
• Arno’s strength and momentum began to fade, and Ace identified Arno’s limited stamina and Alex’s vulnerability to vitality and order.

Ace rescued Auli and Ancesta by sealing them in ice, then joined Arno in battle and helped destroy Alex’s unstable Star of Extreme Evil. After telling Arno that Auli could still be saved, Ace trapped Alex in his elemental Mindscape as the battlefield began to fracture.

• Ace froze Auli and Ancesta, then sent their ice coffins into his Mindscape for Alesha to reinforce and seal.
• Ace used Elemental Creation Technique to expel Alex from the shadow plane, then repeatedly struck him with Elemental Rupture Technique.
• Ace and Arno attacked Alex and his unstable Star of Extreme Evil, with Ace drawing much of the treasure into his Mindscape to destroy and refine it.
• Ace absorbed the treasure’s magic power, desire, and sin, bringing himself close to the Level 2 peak while considering how to reach Level 3.
• Ace told Arno that Auli’s soul and bodily vitality remained, and Alesha carried the exhausted Arno into Ace’s Mindscape.
• Ace changed his Mindscape barrier to an ocean of elements and trapped Alex as the covered portion of reality began to shatter.

Ace fought Alex after Alex used the Star of Extreme Evil to stabilize himself as a pseudo-rank High Demon. Ace evaded Alex’s attacks while studying his powers and began summoning mysterious time phenomena, leaving Alex unable to understand how his opponent could avoid him so easily.

• Alex fused the remaining Star of Extreme Evil into himself, stabilized his Level 3 state, and broke free of Ace’s Mindscape barrier.
• Ace analyzed Alex’s strength and rune structures while using Teleportation Gate to evade his attacks and strike him with the Four-Elemental Grinding Disc.
• Alex unleashed shadow claws and a giant regenerative claw, but Ace escaped with spatial leaps and blocked surprise blades with Mindscape manifestations.
• Ace’s Heartfire continued refining the Star of Extreme Evil as Alex’s magic power fell below one-third of its original amount.
• Ace invoked phenomena associated with time, then told Alex he had learned about newly arrived Legendary-level beings and prepared to play him a Song of Departure.