Recaps

Linden’s forces defeated Kees, gathered the Northern tribes into an alliance, and used Abyss summons to delay the Demon Race at Red Stone City. A failed summoning brought a Storm Giant and an unnatural deep freeze to the Northern Territory, leaving Linden to organize emergency aid as Sigismund turned toward High Keep Fortress.

• Angela’s Puji helped repel the Snake People from Jingu City, and later she and Baron Morton’s squad were rescued from Pig-men by Sophia and the Church Warriors, though Morton was executed for betraying his people.
• Linden marshaled the Fungal Fortress army against Kees, whose Tentacle Beasts devastated the Tribal Coalition, then helped drive Kees’s forces off and persuaded several Northern tribes to cooperate.
• Norris and Spark organized the First Northern Alliance Meeting, where the tribal leaders accepted the alliance and its regulations under Boss and Marshal Puji.
• Eiding approached Nova to trade for the Life-Seeking Wood Core while Linden used Abyss summons to disrupt Xenophon’s army after Earth Peak Fortress fell.
• Linden’s summoning caused a Storm Giant to appear, and Xenophon led his army against it while the Demon Race prepared to attack Red Stone City.
• A sudden deep freeze covered the Northern Territory, so Linden arranged snow-clearing, emergency supplies, and rescue aid for nearby tribes as Spark invited the bear-men to join the alliance.
• Sigismund condemned Xenophon over the lost army and turned his attention to the burning High Keep Fortress.

Linden and Inanna led the Puji Masters to aid Alama, using Storm Elementals and rapid Puji growth to hold Sigismund’s army at Dragon Roar Valley. Sigismund discovered fire could destroy the Fungal Carpet, and his renewed assault began as the Puji supply dwindled.

• Sigismund’s Demon Race army defeated Alama at High Keep Fortress, while Linden learned that Alama’s greatsword contained the Sun Stone fragment he sought.
• Eric sent Inanna to the front with eight thousand Pujis, while Kiro asked Tanaka to undo the Demon King’s seal and Linden prepared for war.
• Linden rescued the Silver Thorn Squad from the Storm Elementals, and Night Owl destroyed a Diamond Rank Storm Elemental with Black Blade.
• The Sacred Tree gave Linden Life Essence, which he tested on captives and used to raise Little Black’s level, while Marshal Puji gave Water of Life to Ming.
• Inanna’s Favor of the Elemental Spirit drew Storm Elementals to her, and Sigismund learned that Alama’s forces had retreated into Dragon Roar Valley.
• Linden’s Puji Masters and Inanna’s Storm Elemental allies fought Sigismund’s army, while Alama and Lorenzo broke through Valerice’s formation to reach the valley.
• Inanna danced as Linden spread the Fungal Carpet, and the carpet-born Puji and their spores forced Sigismund’s army to retreat from the valley entrance.
• Sigismund’s soldiers discovered that ordinary fire destroyed the Fungal Carpet, then returned at night and advanced as the Puji supply ran low.

Linden completed the Sun Stone, developed intelligent Pujis, and prepared to send Inanna and the army toward Three Mountains City. Meanwhile, Fifteen returned with Longyue and Number Nine Puji, while Kiro prepared a plan to destroy the seal holding part of the Demon King inside Twilight Castle.

• Sigismund fought Alama and Inanna as the Behemoth Puji devastated his army, then retreated to High Keep Fortress while Inanna took charge of the wounded and supplies.
• Linden reunited the Sun Stone’s pieces, discovered its message about the soul and the Ark, and began creating Sentient Pujis, though Little Black repeatedly ate them.
• Sophia and the Church’s ship battled the Demon Race fleet alongside Kees, Hess, and the Six-Claws before sea mist separated Sophia from her companions and led her through an illusion of Saint Petersburg.
• Inanna introduced Cave Four Ji and Number Ten to Alama and Lorenzo, who questioned the Mushroom Race and agreed to investigate the Fungal Carpet and Puji Dungeon.
• Fifteen obtained Longyue from Galadriel, killed a fake Puji seller, and befriended Number Nine Puji before entering Three Mountains City as the Demon Race attacked.
• Kiro brought Tanaka to Twilight City and revealed that they and Latir planned to use Tanaka’s clone to destroy the seal holding part of the Demon King inside Twilight Castle.
• Alama, Warren, Lorenzo, and Inanna organized the army’s passage through the completed tunnel toward Three Mountains City, while Linden agreed to let Inanna join the mission.
• Faya used Charm on Number Nine Puji and was trapped in a vast mental space, while Linden sensed a touch against his soul and resolved to study soul defenses.

The fall of Three Mountains City and Wrath’s rampage ended the war temporarily, while Linden revealed the Fungal Fortress and recruited the resurrected Elwin into his plans. The story then shifted to the Empire’s struggles, strange activity around the continent, and the Sword Saint’s new Puji body confronting Fifteen.

• Linden’s Puji forces attacked the Demon Race’s underground network and rear camp as Elwin led Three Mountains City’s defenders against Vesalius, but Mortis Dracone arrived and overwhelmed the defenders.
• Vera, Feiling, Feiyin, and Sirian were swallowed by mist and carried into a burning city in the War of the Hundred Kings, where Vera died and Lucia gained the power of Wrath after the mist reached her camp.
• Mortis revived Vesalius and defeated Elwin and the Sword Saint, but Wrath arrived, killed Vesalius and Cave Four Ji, and devastated Three Mountains City and both armies.
• After the war ended temporarily, Linden revived the Sword Saint as Elwin in a Puji body, showed him the Fungal Fortress, and said he intended to save humanity, the Demon Race, and the world.
• Elwin learned about his new life as Number Fourteen, while Fifteen mourned his apparent death and Galadriel recalled their past together.
• Sigismund presented Mortis with Linden’s blood, accepted new imperial assignments, and later told Linden he planned to investigate Mortis’s deployments and spies.
• Linden monitored ancient ruins and suspected a death-worshiping cult on the western coast, while Julia decided to spread belief in the Puji God in secret.
• The Sword Saint tested his new Puji body in Scarecrow Abyss and attacked Fifteen, who drew his twin swords to defend himself.