Chapter Summaries

Three months after the Holy See fell into chaos, Saint Peter occupied it and unified most of the Southern Continent under the New Faith. With Norton missing, the Blood Clan faced a popular campaign of extermination, and Abraham realized that the Progenitor’s presence had been what held the Vampires together.

• More than a hundred breeding Werewolves escaped their cages at the Eye of Holiness research base and fled in scattered packs.
• Spies followed the Holy Knights’ tracks to the Cave of the God's Corpse, where Norton had been sealed.
• Saint Peter marched through the rain, occupied the Holy See, and ended the thirty-year holy war by unifying the Southern Continent under the New Faith.
• Saint Peter issued an edict to slaughter Vampires, and popular hatred turned the Blood Clan into the common enemy of the Southern Continent.
• With Norton missing, Vampires suffered devastating losses to sunlight and religious tokens, while Abraham struggled to understand why the Blood Clan had once prospered under Norton.
• Abraham finally understood that only a Blood Clan with its Progenitor was the true Blood Clan.

Abraham hid from the New Faith’s vampire purges and founded the Common Lord Faith to turn public attention toward Norton while presenting himself as a human ally. He left Elizabeth in the spotlight and continued to control the Blood Court from the shadows, with no intention of becoming the new faith’s pope.

• Abraham learned that Norton remained sealed in the Holy See and initially believed he could take Norton's place as Blood Clan Progenitor.
• The New Faith unified the Southern Continent and began purging vampires, forcing Abraham to abandon his public position and hide in the Blood Court.
• Abraham pushed Elizabeth into the spotlight while he secretly controlled the Blood Court.
• To counter the New Faith's dominance, Abraham founded the Common Lord Faith using Norton's New Testament as its doctrine.
• Abraham worshipped Norton's soul as God and his dead body as the Primordial God of Death, hoping the faith would shield him and prove his loyalty to Norton.

Abraham met Archbishop Duoxia, who revealed the New Faith’s plan to stop hunting Abraham and Elizabeth in exchange for the Blood Court’s destruction and Norton’s disappearance from history. After Abraham and Elizabeth led the vampires in a failed attempt to rescue Norton, the Blood Court collapsed into rival clans and the New Faith launched the War to Subjugate the Unclean, leaving the vampires scattered and Norton buried from the world.

• Abraham met the New Faith’s representative and discovered that he was Archbishop Duoxia, a vampire he had assumed was dead.
• Duoxia explained that the New Faith believed Kuba had once been sealed behind the Holy See, and said Saint Peter had accepted Abraham’s proposal to cooperate in keeping Norton imprisoned.
• The New Faith agreed to stop hunting Abraham and Elizabeth if the Blood Court perished and Norton’s existence faded from history.
• Abraham and Elizabeth assembled the Blood Court’s vampires for a final assault to rescue Norton, but rebellions forced them to flee and left the vampires without unified rule.
• The New Faith surrounded the Blood Court with holy images and ornaments, then defeated its vampire forces in the War to Subjugate the Unclean.
• Saint Peter planned to bury Norton’s body deep underground rather than use it to cultivate supernatural soldiers.

After uniting the Southern Continent, Saint Peter worked to aid people amid worsening floods and explained that he planned to seal Norton away and eventually end the Church’s rule. A strange walking goat appeared in the rain, and Saint Peter feared a great catastrophe was beginning.

• Saint Peter joined the people building drainage channels as torrential rain caused floods across the Southern Continent.
• Archbishop Duoxia asked Saint Peter about relinquishing the Church’s rule, and Saint Peter explained his plans to seal Norton, preserve the Church as a religious institution, and eventually devolve political authority.
• Saint Peter asked Duoxia to serve as pope after him and said that the Catholic Church would help erase the Vampire Progenitor Norton’s name from history.
• Duoxia noticed a strange figure approaching through the rain, and a goat walking on its hind legs appeared before them.
• Duoxia struck the goat with a wooden pole, and the middle-aged attendant discovered that its body was an already-rotting corpse.
• As the rain intensified with thunder and lightning, Saint Peter declared that the Southern Continent faced a great catastrophe.

The Great Flood devastated the Southern Continent, and Saint Peter sacrificed himself as the rain finally began to recede. Over the following centuries, the supernatural age faded, Church reforms and political upheavals reshaped society, and exploration and overseas exploitation ushered in a new era of wealth, learning, and scientific growth.

• In Norton Year 130, years of torrential rain flooded the Southern Continent, killing millions and driving survivors onto the mountains; Norton's stone wonders provided some refuge.
• In Norton Year 135, Saint Peter sacrificed himself in an Ascension Ritual, and the rain began to subside; Archbishop Duoxia succeeded him as pope.
• Floodwaters receded, but plague killed another fifth of the population before finally stopping, while lifespans shortened as the sun returned to gold.
• In Sacred Year 113, Pope Duoxia convened the Theocratic Assembly, relinquished the Church's temporal authority, and introduced elections for local administrators.
• After Duoxia abdicated and disappeared, a later ruler's coup restored imperial rule, and successive dynasties and religious reforms transformed the Southern Continent.
• In Sacred Year 1557, a coastal empire sent an ocean fleet abroad; its return with captives and reports of distant lands sparked overseas trade, enslavement, and a flourishing of wealth, learning, and science.

Luowei and his teacher Qiaona traveled toward the Holy See to investigate ancient myths, while the Southern Continent’s economic revival left its lower classes suffering under the spread of boat slavery. They hoped to study the Holy See’s wonders and records, unaware that a real devil was imprisoned in the mountain behind it.

• An overseer whipped boat slaves working on a plantation as the carriage carrying Luowei and Qiaona passed through the fields.
• Luowei asked Qiaona why Nord City looked ordinary despite being the Catholic Church’s Holy City.
• Qiaona described the contradictory inscriptions on ancient wonders in the Holy Niluoya Empire and promised Luowei they would see them.
• Qiaona explained that their expedition would study ancient mythology at the Holy Lord Imperial Court, whose church had opened its records to scholars.
• The carriage entered the city as the scholars continued toward the Holy See, unaware that a devil had been imprisoned in its rear mountain for over a thousand years.

Hajinuo’s carriage crossed the Southern Continent’s filthy, sharply divided city as scholars and nobles gathered for the Holy Lord Church’s research into eternal life. The chapter ended by warning that the powerful were once again pursuing immortality and divine authority, and that history’s cycle might be starting over.

• Hajinuo’s carriage entered a city where sanitation was appalling and the poor crowded the streets.
• The narration described how the ship-slave trade had left impoverished workers without jobs, while laws barred them from selling themselves into slavery.
• Poor women were made to earn money through roadside sex work, while cleaner districts excluded the lowborn.
• Scholars, powerful nobles, and representatives of royal families gathered to attend the Holy Lord Church’s research.
• The narration recalled how Norton’s rampage had once changed society, then noted that the nobles’ pursuit of eternal life and divine authority suggested the cycle was beginning again.

A hooded vampire named Saiwei returned to the Abraham Clan’s castle, where patriarch Fen Gejin argued against awakening the sleeping progenitors or obeying their orders to stop the Holy See’s expedition. Gejin revealed that generations of vampires had entered dormancy and that only a dozen non-reproducing fifth-generation vampires remained, leaving the clan to confront its uncertain future.

• A hooded figure left a tavern and traveled to the dilapidated castle where Norton had once met Elizabeth, now a gathering place for vampires.
• Saiwei entered the underground palace, where vampires feasted on blood while a human prisoner was tortured and drained.
• Fen Gejin rejected Saiwei’s suggestion that the vampires reveal themselves and stop the Holy See’s upcoming investigation, then threatened to kill him for speaking out of turn.
• An older vampire insisted they should obey the progenitors’ orders and prevent the Holy See’s excavation, but Gejin claimed the progenitors were already dead and revealed that an even stronger group had once slept beneath them.
• Gejin explained that the first through fourth generations had entered dormancy over the centuries, leaving only a dozen fifth-generation vampires who could not reproduce.

In 1561, the Holy See opened its grounds for a three-month research expedition, and scholars uncovered numerous relics connected to Norton. The chapter ended with a team drilling into the rear mountain and discovering a blue crystal above what appeared to be a sealed ancient ruin.

• The Abraham, Duoxia, and Elizabeth vampire clans and the weakened werewolves each faced the consequences of Norton's long absence and the approaching research expedition.
• Qiaona and Luowei entered the overcrowded Holy See with the other scholars, where Qiaona warned Luowei to obey its strict rules.
• In the storage hall, Qiaona and the scholars examined damaged Church knight armor, the Tooth of God, and other relics left behind by Norton.
• Luowei rushed into the hall and told Qiaona that researchers had drilled through the rear mountain and found a blue crystal above a seemingly hollow, sealed ruin.
• Qiaona and the scholars hurried to the rear mountain, where a huge crowd gathered beyond the Church knights' cordon.

Qiaona arrived at the Holy See as believers gathered in a frenzy over a body found nailed to a cross in a cavern. Pope Lai'ao'duo calmed the crowd and allowed Qiaona to descend, leaving Qiaona poised to investigate the ancient site.

• Believers surged against the Church knights, convinced the body in the cavern was God, while Pope Lai'ao'duo persuaded them to wait and recite the Bible.
• Lai'ao'duo privately hoped the discovery would restore the Church's power and strengthen his own rule.
• Church knights began descending into the cavern through the opening left by a shattered crystal, whose erased writing had identified the corpse as Norton.
• Qiaona pleaded with Lai'ao'duo for permission to investigate, promising to uncover the Church's ancient heritage, and the pope agreed.
• Qiaona tied a rope around his waist and prepared to be lowered into the cavern with the Church knights.

Qiaona and the Church knights discovered an ancient cavern filled with Holy Knight corpses, strange statues, and a pale humanoid corpse nailed to a bone cross. Qiaona believed the corpse was God, while Pope Lai'ao'duo ordered its excavation so the Holy Lord Church could use it to claim religious authority.

• Qiaona descended into the cavern and found rows of frozen Holy Knights and strange stone creatures.
• Qiaona and the knights saw a pale, inhuman corpse hanging from a white bone cross above a jade platform.
• Qiaona became convinced the corpse was God and imagined it had fought demons alongside ancient human knights.
• Lai'ao'duo welcomed the discovery as proof for the Church and ordered the knights to excavate the corpse immediately.

Pope Lai'ao'duo had Norton's sealed corpse removed from the cave and, hoping to win lasting fame, pulled it off the cross before a crowd of believers. Norton revived, killed Lai'ao'duo by drinking his blood, and demanded that everyone present offer up theirs.

• Lai'ao'duo and the Church knights hauled Norton's corpse and the cross out of the cave as a storm broke over the Holy See.
• Lai'ao'duo declared the corpse to be God and announced a new Church holiday, Easter, to celebrate freeing him.
• Unable to remove the bone nail, Lai'ao'duo and the knights pulled Norton off the cross instead.
• Norton opened his eyes, lifted Lai'ao'duo, and drank his blood until he died.
• Norton called for everyone gathered at the Holy See to offer up their blood.

Norton fully revived after escaping his thousand-year seal, drained the pope who had freed him, and discovered that he no longer feared holy objects or sunlight. Claiming godhood, he awakened the dormant supernatural species across the Southern Continent, including Coal Ball.

• Norton remembered how God's power had nearly dragged his soul to Heaven, but realized his restraint had helped him survive.
• Norton regained his memories and strength while feeding on the pope, then dismissed his obligation to grant the pope a wish after killing him.
• Norton found that sunlight and religious tokens no longer harmed him because Kuba was dead and Norton had become the only god-level being in the Garden of Eden.
• Norton declared himself a god and used his pressure to awaken the supernatural species that had lain dormant for over a thousand years.
• Coal Ball roared in the cave as enormous dark creatures beat their wings and flew into the sky.

Gejin tortured a vampire and defied the orders of the progenitors, but their sudden awakening plunged the underground lair into chaos. As the ancient fortress was crushed by a palace hauled by chained vampires, the newly awakened vampires were captured and driven into the sunlight.

• Gejin tortured a vampire while declaring himself the true master of the Southern Continent and refusing to seal off the Holy See.
• The progenitors awakened and burst into the lair, where Martin attacked Gejin and pleaded for mercy when Luke appeared.
• A huge palace smashed into the ancient fortress, exposing the vampires to sunlight.
• Over a thousand second-generation vampires dragged the palace while two monsters drove them with silver whips.
• Chains and silver whips subdued the third-, fourth-, and fifth-generation vampires, including Gejin, as the palace continued onward.

Norton reunited with Coal Ball after the Gargoyles transformed and broke free, then considered claiming godhood before choosing to live freely and stop tormenting the Southern Continent. He decided to return to the Vampires, retrieve the objects and flesh that could help protect him, and cause them a little trouble instead.

• The freed Gargoyles grew into enormous, dragonlike monsters, and Coal Ball joyfully reunited with Norton, who stopped his charge with one finger.
• Norton retracted his body into himself as the believers watched and discussed how to depict him.
• Norton sensed the Catholic Church’s power and considered becoming the true god worshipped across the Garden of Eden.
• Norton rejected godhood and resolved to stop wreaking havoc on the Southern Continent.
• Norton decided to return to the Vampires, retrieve the cross, bone nails, and lost flesh, and cause the Vampires some trouble.

Norton escaped the Holy See with his monstrous followers after consuming the remains that might have been used to imprison him. Abraham and the vampires dragged a palace through the sunlight to welcome him, and Norton’s arrival left Abraham kneeling in terror.

• Norton grew white bat wings, flew out of the Holy See, and was followed by more than a dozen monsters.
• Before leaving, Norton swallowed the pale cross, bone nails, and the flesh and skin he had shed.
• Abraham led vampires in dragging a palace through the sunlight, secretly vowing to punish the fifth-generation vampires who had freed Norton.
• Gejin crawled among the vampires, terrified by the ranks of power above him as others burned to ashes.
• Norton’s aura approached, Abraham fell to his knees, and a voice on the wind called his name.

Norton confronted Abraham and Elizabeth after awakening, while Abraham pleaded that he had remained loyal and Elizabeth showed less devotion than before. Norton accepted Abraham’s claim of loyalty but declared that he would relinquish power and let the two serve him, leaving Abraham pinned beneath his feet.

• Norton sat on his throne as his Pressure forced Abraham and Elizabeth to prostrate themselves before him.
• Abraham sobbed out a story of trying to rescue Norton and presented notes describing plans to infiltrate the Holy See.
• Norton noticed that Elizabeth’s behavior differed from her former devotion and questioned whether they were loyal subjects.
• Abraham praised Norton’s perfection and urged him to become the true God, trying to redirect his attention.
• Norton stepped on Abraham’s head and said he would give up his power and enjoy the loyal service of Abraham and Elizabeth.

After Norton revived as a god, Abraham tried to win his favor and was nearly killed, then was appointed his divine emissary. Norton warned Elizabeth to conduct herself well before flying away, leaving her in renewed panic and Abraham convinced he was the Progenitor’s favorite.

• Abraham prostrated himself before Norton and declared that he wanted to serve him, prompting Norton to kick him through a palace wall and leave him gravely injured.
• Abraham continued flattering Norton despite his injuries, and Norton laughed at his servile behavior.
• Norton took the throne and appointed Abraham his divine emissary, declaring himself the God of the Garden of Eden.
• Elizabeth asked Norton what would become of her, and Norton told her to conduct herself well.
• Norton flew away, leaving Elizabeth panicked while Abraham celebrated his appointment and believed he was Norton’s favorite.

Norton worried that his body had reached the pinnacle of flesh and blood, leaving him unable to grow strong enough to challenge God. He considered ways to steal God’s authority or advance through his soul, but ended with no clear path forward.

• Norton kept the revived vampires restrained and began seeking a path of development.
• Norton discovered that he could eat ordinary food and bask in sunlight, while blood wine remained his favorite.
• Norton realized his divine body had surpassed every being in the Garden of Eden, but had reached the limit of flesh-and-blood advancement.
• Norton feared God’s overwhelming power and worried that he could never withstand God if the Garden of Eden faced destruction.
• Norton considered advancing through faith, seizing God’s title, or merging his flesh and blood with everything in the Garden of Eden, but found none of the options promising.

The Southern Continent’s apparent renaissance and freedom concealed widespread slavery, poverty, and growing conflict between religious believers and protesters. Emperor Miles XIII learned that the newly unearthed God was likely Norton, the Vampire Progenitor, and ordered more information collected as he considered confronting him.

• Citizens marched against the Church while believers rallied around portraits of the newly unearthed God, as enslaved people were abused and poor people starved in the streets.
• An attendant told Miles XIII that religious fanatics were forming groups and threatening to overthrow imperial rule in favor of Church sovereignty.
• Miles XIII warned that wealth and freedom could also turn people against secular rulers and destabilize the empire.
• Miles XIII’s scholars identified the pale God as likely Norton, the Vampire Progenitor, based on old legends, artifacts, and reports of vampires in Laimoen City.
• Miles XIII ordered his officials to intensify their investigation and wondered whether modern cannons could defeat Norton.