Recaps

Gustavo learned that the parchment was a key to the demiplane once occupied by the red dragon Gou Site Nicholas, the Crimson Terror. With the next spacetime-tide fluctuation about three years away, Gustavo planned to use the parchment to enter the demiplane.

• A terrified ratman told Gustavo about the parchment, the Brooks Mercenary Corps, and their operation.
• Gustavo learned that Gou Site Nicholas had used a demiplane to evade enemies and that a dragon-hunting team had secretly tracked its spacetime tides.
• The dragon-hunting team entered Gou Site's demiplane with Walpole's guidance, then disappeared after leaving behind parchment keys as a contingency.
• Gustavo learned that the next spacetime-tide fluctuation would occur in about three years and realized the parchment could guide him into the demiplane.

Gustavo escaped an Earth Flame Python’s attack after emerging from the alternate space, while Diwoer’s divination led her to flee Night City. Left alone, Brooks agreed to join the Ashes organization.

• Gustavo collected intact corpses and claimed the Legendary Stokes Cloak, renaming it the Shadow Cloak while he waited for the alternate space to open.
• An Earth Flame Python ambushed Gustavo as the alternate space collapsed, but he resisted its gravity and fire long enough to escape under cover of the Shadow Cloak.
• Diwoer divined Brooks’s fate, grew frightened by what she learned, and told Brooks she was leaving for Planet Guta.
• Brooks let Diwoer go, then called an old contact and agreed to join [Ashes].

Madam Poison signed the ceasefire agreement after Pudong explained that the Snake Gang had no choice, then considered splitting from him rather than giving up her leadership. At the victory banquet, Logo offered the gathered clans 1,500 Heavenly Eye Mechas, leaving them stunned.

• Pudong pressured Madam Poison to sign the agreement with the three great clans, and she eventually signed.
• Madam Poison apologized to Pudong, then objected when he teased her about her performance.
• Duke suggested that Madam Poison split from Pudong, and she agreed while naming the Three-Eyed People and Red Ghost as concerns.
• The three great clans celebrated their victory over the Snake Gang, while Logo drew attention as a renowned young warrior.
• Logo presented a Heavenly Eye Mecha he had developed and offered the gathered families 1,500 of them, astonishing the banquet guests.

Logo gave the gathered family heads 1,500 Heavenly Eye Mecha for free, using the gift to introduce his business strategy. He planned to keep the core technology under Campbell Family control while drawing the three major clans and outside powers into a network of shared interests, but he reminded himself to expand gradually.

• Logo assured the viscounts that the 1,500 Heavenly Eye Mecha were free and would be delivered to their castles within days.
• The family heads thanked Logo and praised his generosity, warming to him after accepting the gift.
• Logo planned to use the mecha's performance to persuade the families to buy more and join a wider network of business agreements and shared interests.
• He intended to expand production, develop new mecha and compatible products, and retain control of the core technology while involving other families in supporting industries.
• Logo planned to consolidate the three major clans before turning his attention to other clans and the Royal Court, then decided not to rush.

After the Snake Gang's defeat, Logo used the Royal Court's first 14.6-million-Ta-Pound patent royalty payment to launch the Campbell Family's development plan. Annabelle summoned him to the Thorn Clan over a bloodline-science problem involving Tiffany and her younger brother.

• The three great clans and seven great families divided the Snake Gang's spoils, bringing the Campbell Family territory, slaves, and about 600,000 Ta Pounds in annual income.
• Logo told Lunbate to manage partnerships with fifty-seven suppliers after transferring funds to the family account.
• Logo visited Crassus in the underground laboratory, where Crassus showed him a new sniper cannon called the Heaven-Shaking Cannon.
• Logo explained to Crassus that he had given the three great clans 1,500 Heavenly Eye Mechas and planned to do business with them to prevent jealousy over the Campbell Family's growth.
• Annabelle asked Logo about bloodline science and summoned him to the Thorn Clan because Tiffany and her younger brother had a problem.
• Logo called Melier to accompany him to the Thorn Clan.

Logo agreed to treat Tiffany and Sherlock’s bloodline curse and prepared a mysterious dark ritual after Annabelle promised him two items from her private collection. He began the ritual with the siblings at its center, leaving their fate unresolved.

• Annabelle summoned spellcasters and alchemists to seek a cure for Tiffany and Sherlock, whose injuries had triggered their bloodline curse.
• The gathered experts admitted they could not help, but Logo said he had some confidence and accepted Annabelle’s offer of two items from her private collection.
• Logo examined the siblings and noticed that both shared the talents Goddess of Luck’s Embrace and Fate Entanglement, making them suitable heirs to a profession he had in mind.
• Annabelle brought Logo the requested dark materials and three soul crystals, then used her power to clear everyone from the room at his request.
• Logo ground the materials into powder, drew a dark design on the floor, placed Tiffany and Sherlock at its center, crushed one soul crystal, and invoked the Dark Twins.

Logo used a profession initiation ritual to suppress the bloodline curse afflicting Tiffany and her brother, awakening their Dark Twin Stars profession. Annabelle rewarded him by letting him choose a treasure from her collection, and Logo chose the riskier option, confident in his Eye of Insight.

• Logo performed the Dark Twin Stars initiation ritual, and the siblings' souls entered the paired stars before returning to their bodies as their curse receded.
• Logo told the gathered spellcasters that the twins' special constitutions had let him activate their resistance to the curse, while Annabelle confirmed they had inherited a powerful profession.
• Annabelle thanked Logo, gave him Amethyst Hornet honey, and took him to her mage tower to fulfill her promise of a reward.
• Annabelle offered Logo either a free choice from her collection or two items of at least three-star fine quality that she would choose for him.
• Logo selected the free-choice option, and Annabelle warned him that his choice could not be exchanged.

Logo chose a Starry Sky Crystal Stone and a Gru Heavy Shield from Annabelle’s collection, despite her frantic attempts to reclaim them. He gave the shield to Melier and kept the crystal for his planned spatial alchemy tower, while considering his next projects.

• Logo used his Eye of Insight to inspect Annabelle’s collectibles and selected a Legend-quality Starry Sky Crystal Stone and a Gru Heavy Shield.
• Annabelle regretted letting Logo choose freely and pleaded with him to return one of the treasures, but he left with both.
• Tiffany and Sherlock learned that Logo had taken valuable pieces from Annabelle’s collection, and Annabelle took out her frustration by beating them at the training ground.
• Annabelle told Tiffany and Sherlock to spend more time with Logo and learn from him about their new classes.
• Logo gave the Gru Heavy Shield to Melier and stored the Starry Sky Crystal Stone for his future alchemy tower.

Lancelot reunited with his friends in Leite City before returning to Bolake City, where he received and tested the weapon he had designed. He named the versatile, 502-piece weapon the Steel Feather Cloak.

• Lancelot shared drinks and reminisced with Burke, Rui, and Cole in Leite City before they parted ways.
• Lancelot left Leite City aboard a shuttle and returned to his estate in Bolake City.
• Lancelot opened the package containing his reward for winning the second trial, a weapon forged by the Kahn Province Equipment Department.
• Lancelot activated the metal feathers and watched them transform into armor, weapons, and other forms.
• Lancelot named the weapon the Steel Feather Cloak and considered its uses for both defense and combat.

Lancelot spent two months training and using potions to greatly increase his attributes and combat power before traveling to Holy Sword Academy to enroll. He arrived at the academy’s main gate, ready to begin his studies.

• Lancelot reviewed his improved attributes, abilities, and skills, which had raised his maximum combat power to 356, in the upper-middle range of Tier Five.
• He credited his rapid growth to his experience, abundant resources, and the Star Swallowing Technique, which helped him absorb potions.
• After a brief rest, Lancelot packed his luggage and flew south to Holy Sword Academy.
• A drone challenged Lancelot in the academy’s military no-fly zone, then granted him access after he presented his special invitation.
• Lancelot flew to the main gate, looked up at the academy, and declared that he had arrived.

Lancelot toured Holy Sword Academy with Nancy St. Paul, who explained the academy’s departments and the importance of authority and credits. He revealed that his initial authority was level 6, surprising Nancy.

• Nancy St. Paul introduced herself to Lancelot at the school gates and offered to show him around Holy Sword Academy.
• Nancy took Lancelot through the campus on maglev platforms and described the academy’s departments and key divisions.
• Nancy explained that authority determined students’ treatment and was linked to military ranks, while level 30 required a collective decision that triggered special-level combat readiness.
• Nancy said level 6 authority equaled the rank of major and asked Lancelot what his initial authority was.
• Lancelot said he had level 6 authority, and Nancy reacted in shock.

Nancy explained how Holy Sword Academy's credits and access levels worked, then guided Lancelot to his residence in the Sea Lake Villa District. Lancelot settled into the villa, while Nancy left after deciding their difference in status made a romance impossible.

• Nancy explained that students earned credits through missions or by exchanging Crimson Notes, and described the unofficial credit dealers operating around academy rules.
• Lancelot exchanged contact information with Nancy, who sent him the account of a credit dealer called "Caterpillar."
• Nancy explained that she avoided dealing credits herself because the trade was risky and its dealers had powerful backers.
• Nancy brought Lancelot to his villa in the Sea Lake Villa District, an enrollment reward for his high access level.
• Lancelot's intelligent system confirmed his identity and opened the villa, and Nancy left after watching him go inside.

Lancelot toured his new villa, named its robot housekeeper Christine, and logged into the Holy Sword Academy website to select courses. He chose more than thirty subjects while keeping his unusual knowledge concealed until he became strong enough to protect himself.

• Christine showed Lancelot around the three-floor villa and its training facilities.
• Lancelot named the robot housekeeper Christine and asked her to make tea.
• Lancelot logged into the Holy Sword Academy website and reviewed the course selection rules and catalog.
• Lancelot selected ability development, combat, genetic engineering, and more than thirty other courses.
• Lancelot avoided choosing subjects that would reveal knowledge from his shared memories, deciding to keep his abilities hidden until he reached Sanctuary.

Holy Sword Academy’s leaders prepared for the new students’ arrival and selected Lancelot as the freshman representative. At the opening ceremony, Lancelot’s friends reunited with him as classmates, and the academy leaders made a dramatic entrance before the students.

• Vice Dean Louis chaired a meeting where the Holy Sword Academy leaders reported that their preparations for enrollment were complete.
• Kamori recommended Lancelot as the freshman representative, and the leaders agreed that he would speak at the opening ceremony.
• Bell, Stephanie, Rongside, and Jimmy met with Lancelot and explained why they had enrolled at the Holy Sword Academy.
• Lancelot toasted his new classmates and agreed to let Stephanie polish his opening ceremony speech.
• Urta and the other academy leaders arrived through a spatial rift at the opening ceremony, drawing the students’ attention to the white-bearded dean.

After enrolling at Holy Sword Academy, Lancelot attended his first ability development class and learned that the academy had created a specialized Holy Sword Gene Training Method. He recognized how valuable it could be for developing his many abilities and prepared to learn its first movement.

• Lancelot delivered the freshman representative speech, and the vice dean announced the freshman tournament would take place in half a month.
• School leaders met with Lancelot, Rongside, and other outstanding students, then Lancelot gathered academy information and continued training at home.
• Lancelot arrived at his first ability development class, where Instructor Lande introduced the Holy Sword Gene Training Method and explained its sixty levels.
• Lancelot realized the method could greatly improve his ability development, especially as an Innovation School student, and Instructor Lande began demonstrating the first movement.

Lancelot stood out during a painful Holy Sword Gene Training Method lesson, impressing Teacher Lande with his endurance and rapid progress. Lande introduced the academy’s Virtual Universe as a way to train more efficiently, then revealed the demigod artifact Sword Marrow as another aid.

• Students struggled through the painful Holy Sword Gene Training Method lesson while Lande urged them to keep going.
• Lande noticed Lancelot repeating the movements without tiring and used him as an example to motivate the other students.
• Lancelot relied on precise cellular control to master the exercises, practicing continuously while the other students entered treatment pods or passed out.
• Lande explained that the academy’s Virtual Universe could simulate transcendents below Sanctuary with over 99 percent accuracy and help students practice in painless mode, but it cost three credits an hour.
• Lande pointed out the demigod artifact stone sword and identified Sword Marrow as the second form of assistance.

Lancelot entered Holy Sword Academy’s Virtual Universe to practice the Holy Sword Gene Training Method in a safer setting. He pushed himself through repeated simulations, refining his movements until five hours had passed.

• Lancelot considered the cost of Sword Marrow and calculated that his scholarship and exchange quota gave him 2,100 credits to use.
• After eating at Sea Lake Villa District, Lancelot entered his home’s consciousness link pod and connected to the Virtual Universe.
• The Virtual Universe recognized Lancelot’s level-six clearance and reduced his usage fee to 2.7 credits per hour.
• Lancelot requested a private cultivation space and began practicing the Holy Sword Gene Training Method without fear of real injury.
• Lancelot repeatedly collapsed and revived as he corrected flaws in his movements, continuing his practice for five hours.

Lancelot practiced the first 56 movements of the Holy Sword Gene Training Method until his information panel recognized it at Lv1, then attended Gael Corison’s Innovation class. Gael explained that innovation meant combining abilities suited to oneself to forge a new path, leaving the students with his analogy of paving a road that culminated in an Innovation Ability.

• Lancelot reviewed the first 56 movements ten times in the Virtual Universe, fixed a problem, then practiced them in reality without injury.
• Lancelot’s information panel recorded the Holy Sword Gene Training Method at Lv1 after he practiced the movements seven times.
• The next morning, Lancelot chose to attend the Innovation class taught by Gael Corison.
• Gael asked the students to define innovation, and Lancelot admitted he did not know.
• Gael explained that Innovation School ability users created new paths by finding and balancing abilities suited to themselves, ultimately forming an Innovation Ability or Innovation Skill.

Teacher Gael explained how Innovation Skills were developed from combinations of abilities, then demonstrated his A+ rank Ironfeather Vulture transformation to the students. The class debated whether Innovation School users remained human, and Gael ended by explaining that the academy’s transformation-compatible combat suit cost fifty credits.

• Gael explained that students should study the Innovation Compendium and learn established Innovation Skills before trying to create their own.
• Gael transformed into his Ironfeather Vulture Innovation Skill and said he had used it to kill a young brass dragon.
• Gael explained that Innovation School abilities could alter users’ bodies, but said outward form mattered less than remaining loyal to humanity.
• The students debated transformations and the dean’s ability to become a miniature black hole, while Gael privately reflected on how rare the dean’s power was.
• A student asked what happened to Gael’s clothes during his transformation, and Gael showed them his academy combat suit before another student balked at its fifty-credit price.

After Teacher Gael’s lesson, Lancelot understood that Innovation Skills evolved their users by taking abilities from other creatures. He studied the Innovation Compendiums and watched Dean Urta use Annihilation Black Hole to defeat the golden dragon Clausius, then resolved to pursue even greater power.

• Teacher Gael taught Lancelot about awakening and combining abilities in the Innovation School.
• Lancelot concluded that innovators gained strength by plundering other creatures’ gifts and resolved to seek power for himself.
• Lancelot opened the library’s Innovation Compendium collection and found Dean Urta’s SSS-rank Annihilation Black Hole, which required nineteen abilities and twelve resources.
• Lancelot watched a recording of Urta absorbing Clausius’s dragon breath and swallowing the golden dragon in a black hole.
• Lancelot vowed to surpass Urta’s power and continued searching for Innovation Skills suited to his cultivation.

Lancelot chose to focus on improving his defense and began searching for a suitable Innovation Skill. Steel Tiger called and urged him to abandon [Body of Steel] and pursue the SSS-rank [Nine-Headed Thunder Dragon], but his proposed path conflicted with Lancelot’s plans.

• Lancelot weighed his four combat priorities and decided to focus on defense because [Body of Steel] was near its maximum level.
• Lancelot searched the exchange office for defensive Innovation Skills compatible with [Body of Steel].
• Steel Tiger called Lancelot, praised his achievements, and explained that he had arranged for Teacher Gael to teach him.
• Steel Tiger told Lancelot to choose an SSS-rank skill and make [Nine-Headed Thunder Dragon] his goal, recommending [Thunderlight Dragon Scales] as his third ability.
• Lancelot frowned as Steel Tiger’s cultivation plan diverged sharply from his own.

Lancelot rejected Steel Tiger’s advice to pursue an SSS-rank Innovation Skill from the start, insisting he would advance through ranks and create his own skills. Steel Tiger granted him access to levels 4 through 6 of the Domain of Spirit Thought, though he remained frustrated by Lancelot’s choice.

• Lancelot told Steel Tiger that building combat power through successive Innovation Skill ranks was better than waiting to develop an SSS-rank skill.
• Steel Tiger explained that genetic-chain capacity was limited and warned that redundant abilities could prevent Lancelot from mastering multiple SSS-rank skills.
• Lancelot understood Steel Tiger’s reasoning but refused to follow his recommended path.
• Lancelot said he intended to create his own Innovation Skills, prompting Steel Tiger to recall his own past ambition and caution him not to regret his choice.
• Steel Tiger granted Lancelot access to levels 4 through 6 of the Domain of Spirit Thought and ended the call.

Lancelot selected the S-Rank Innovation Skill Tree of Life after watching a demonstration of its extraordinary defenses and regeneration. He discovered that mastering it required rare, expensive resources, leaving him concerned about the credits he would need.

• Lancelot reviewed the Domain of Spirit Thought and considered the favor required to access its higher levels.
• Lancelot found Tree of Life and watched a battlefield demonstration of its resilience, corpse-fed growth, and recovery after nearly being destroyed.
• Lancelot decided Tree of Life was the skill he wanted, despite its demanding mastery requirements.
• Lancelot checked the exchange prices for Tree of Life’s supplementary resources and saw how costly they were.
• Lancelot read that High Wood Elf Blood came from a people with Legendary potential and learned that some were raised and harvested in black-market life factories.

Lancelot calculated the costs of awakening the Tree of Life abilities and found he lacked the credits to buy the needed resources. He decided to prioritize the rare Regenerative Bone Marrow bloodline potion and the Tree of Life Innovation Compendium, then contacted Caterpillar to find a way to earn credits.

• Lancelot calculated that auxiliary resources would cost 1,900 credits and ruled out risky awakening methods in favor of bloodline potions.
• Lancelot found legendary-quality Regenerative Bone Marrow and Life Drain potions at the exchange, priced at 2,200 and 390 credits, while the other potions he needed were out of stock.
• Lancelot calculated that buying Regenerative Bone Marrow and borrowing the Tree of Life Innovation Compendium would cost 2,320 credits, leaving him 233.5 credits short even after his allowance.
• Lancelot decided to secure Regenerative Bone Marrow and the Compendium as soon as possible, then messaged Caterpillar to ask whether they had any goods.

Lancelot negotiated a partnership with credit dealer Raquel Navi, securing a discounted rate and a 70 percent share of the business in exchange for backing him. After receiving 260 credits from Raquel and exchanging 60 million Crimson Notes for another 600, Lancelot planned to use the credits to borrow innovation catalogs.

• Caterpillar offered Lancelot 510 credits for 480 million Crimson Notes, and explained that he wanted Lancelot's backing in return for the discounted rate.
• Lancelot demanded a place in Caterpillar's business and negotiated a 70–30 profit split in his favor; Raquel agreed.
• Lancelot learned Caterpillar's real name was Raquel Navi and told him to transfer 260 credits immediately and raise the remaining credits within three days.
• Lancelot made the 480 million Crimson Notes his investment and authorized Raquel to use his name to expand the business, while warning him to contact Lancelot if trouble arose.
• Raquel sent Lancelot 260 credits, and Lancelot exchanged 60 million Crimson Notes for 600 more credits.
• Lancelot decided to use his credits to borrow the Regenerative Bone Marrow and Tree of Life innovation catalogs.