Chapter Summaries

Richard made a contract with Crawly in exchange for saving Logar, then discovered that Logar was a Fire Lizard operative assigned to escort Alchemy Master Carrion. He kept Crawly in his secret realm to cultivate his alchemy talent and set out to find Carrion.

• Crawly agreed to sign Richard's Soul Contract so Richard would save Logar, and Richard healed Logar in his secret realm.
• Richard found a coded mission paper beneath Logar's scales and learned that Logar had been ordered to escort Alchemy Master Carrion during his evacuation.
• Richard used the World Mushroom's mycelium to restrain Logar and torment him after Logar refused to cooperate.
• The World Mushroom found a slow-growing tumor compressing Crawly's thinking organ, and Richard decided not to remove it because surgery might affect Crawly's talent.
• Richard gave Crawly a golden-patterned armor plate to study and left the secret realm to follow the coordinates on Logar's paper toward Carrion.

Richard followed Logar’s coordinates to a hidden mine in the dormant volcanoes and found Master Carrion and three other Fire Lizard craftsmen. Instead of capturing them as slaves, Richard offered to hire them, and the chapter ended with him explaining that Fire Lizard talent was valuable.

• Richard tracked concealed Fire Lizard markings through the mine tunnels, bypassing alarms and traps to reach an underground magma lake.
• Richard caught Carrion before the drunken Fire Lizard fell into the magma, then revealed himself to Carrion and the others as a Second-Ring Wizard.
• Richard demanded that the gathered Fire Lizards identify themselves, and Cliff, Patlin, and Tarher introduced themselves as Alchemy Masters, with Cliff also a Forging Master.
• Richard gave the four Fire Lizards Soul Contracts, and Carrion realized that Richard wanted to hire them.
• Richard said he valued Fire Lizard talent and did not regard them as mere slaves or monsters.

Richard forced three Fire Lizards to sign Soul Oaths and brought them into his secret realm to work on alchemy and Sacred Armor. After showing Carrion the torture awaiting him if he refused, Richard got him to agree to sign as well.

• Richard offered the Fire Lizards lenient contracts and threatened them with death if they refused.
• Cliff, Tarher, and Patlin signed Soul Oaths, while Carrion refused and Richard knocked him unconscious.
• Richard took the three signers and Carrion into his secret realm, where Tarher recognized it as a fragment of a world.
• Richard ordered the Fire Lizards to teach Crawly alchemy and study a Sacred Armor plate, then demonstrated his Dragon Alchemy by making another plate.
• Richard showed Carrion the tormented Logar and warned him that refusal would bring a similar fate, so Carrion cried out that he would sign.

Richard forced Carrion to sign a Soul Contract and learned the Morik Shield had commissioned parts for a ship, then set the Fire Lizards to work on Sacred Armor designs in his planned Fire Lizard Alchemy Workshop. Nearly twenty years later, Richard hunted Fire Lizard slaves and inspected his productive Crimson Sun Gold Pattern Stone mine before a familiar figure returned through a Spatial Rift.

• Carrion signed Richard’s Soul Contract and revealed that the Morik Shield had tasked him and other alchemists with building what seemed to be part of a ship.
• Richard gave Carrion designs for Sacred Armor plates and moved supplies into the secret realm, planning to establish a Fire Lizard Alchemy Workshop.
• Richard hunted Fire Lizards across the Crimson Sun World, captured one with his Armored Hound, and warned a White Robe Wizard against hunting alone.
• Richard visited his Crimson Sun Gold Pattern Stone mine, praised Heskhan’s management, and ordered an unlimited Flame Giant Beast meat feast for the workers.
• A Spatial Rift opened above Richard, and a familiar figure emerged, announcing that he had returned.

Morik returned to the Crimson Sun World and fought Great Wizard Hellfire and Great Wizard Clear Frost, who used a Magic Array to cut him off from the World Force. Morik escaped with Linksa’s phantom, but Hellfire made a bargain with the Nameless Sovereign to mark him for tracking.

• Richard ordered Heskan to bring the miners aboveground and gave him a Short-Range Spatial Leap Scroll for protection.
• Morik attacked Great Wizard Hellfire with a spear of light, but Hellfire dodged as the Wizards’ Magic Array isolated Morik from the World Force.
• Morik summoned a golden figure of Linksa, who shattered the space restraining Morik and held off Great Wizard Clear Frost.
• Great Wizard Hellfire prepared a sacrifice to the Nameless Sovereign and asked it to seal Morik, but Morik sensed the danger and fled the Crimson Sun World with Linksa’s phantom.
• Great Wizard Hellfire offered more sacrifices to have the Nameless Sovereign mark Morik, and matching balance marks appeared on Morik and Hellfire.

After Morik’s defeat, Richard comforted the Fire Lizards and continued developing their alchemy workshop. When Tarher accidentally produced advanced alchemical ink from Crimson Sun Gold Pattern Stone, Richard recognized its value and ordered him to focus on reproducing it.

• Richard stopped Heral from killing himself and gave the Fire Lizards half a day off while keeping their dinner unchanged.
• Richard visited the secret realm’s Fire Lizard Alchemy Workshop and brought Tarher Crimson Sun Gold Pattern Stone.
• Tarher showed Richard a bottle of ink he had accidentally made while drunk using the workshop’s alchemy array.
• Richard tested the ink and discovered it could draw powerful runes whose flames revealed their integrity.
• Richard ordered Tarher to determine the ink’s formula and production process, promising the Fire Lizards half a year off once they succeeded.

Richard watched Ulysses awaken after nearly thirty years of sleep, then asked him to escort him somewhere after he feasted on the Fire Lizard heads Richard had saved. Meanwhile, Harash ordered a final battle against the wizards and entrusted the Fire Lizards’ survival to Azuhan, who led the Kindling Plan fleet toward the New World.

• Ulysses awakened with his power greatly increased, learned that the war against the Fire Lizards was nearly over, and went to feast on the preserved heads Richard had collected.
• After Morik fled, Harash told Azuhan to activate the Kindling Plan and killed a general who urged him to keep fighting in hopes of Morik's return.
• Harash asked Azuhan to do whatever was necessary to preserve the Fire Lizard Tribe, and Azuhan agreed as his father left to lead the remaining rebels into battle.
• Three days after Morik's defeat, Harash's Fire Lizards killed 1,572 wizards before all dying in the battle, bringing the Crimson Sun World expedition into its final stages.
• At the lava lake, Azuhan learned the New World Fleet was ready, said farewell to his father, and ordered the kindling to board for the New World.

Richard searched the Lava Sea with Ulysses for islands the Fire Lizards had discovered, and Ulysses spotted one of their damaged vessels. Richard boarded the ship and asked its crew to bring him their captain so he could talk.

• Richard and Ulysses continued searching the Lava Sea for islands, though Ulysses complained about the three-year expedition.
• Ulysses spotted a strange metal vessel floating among the Flame Giant Beasts, and Richard flew toward it.
• The Fire Lizard captain learned that a storm had damaged the ship and left it short of fuel, then began writing his will.
• Richard opened the vessel’s entrance with Dragon Alchemy and entered, startling the Fire Lizards inside.
• Richard told the armed Fire Lizards he did not intend to kill them and asked them to bring out their captain.

Richard forced the Fire Lizard captain to choose between death and signing a Soul Contract to join his Wizard Merchant Guild. After the captain signed and recruited most of his crew, Richard revealed he had spent three years searching the Lava Sea for them, leaving the captain to realize the Kindling Plan had failed.

• The captain attacked Richard when he entered the cabin, but Ulysses blocked the strike with a Raven Claw.
• Richard offered the captain a Soul Contract with lenient guild terms, and the captain signed to protect the Fire Lizard Tribe and survive.
• The captain persuaded the crew to sign, while five Fire Lizards refused and were dealt with.
• Richard told the captain to repair the ship, use its sea chart, and sail back to the Fire Lizard headquarters.
• Richard revealed he had searched the Lava Sea for three years, and the captain collapsed, muttering that the kindling had gone out.

Richard brought the repaired Number 13 to the Fire Lizards’ New World and offered Azuhan cooperation, while Azuhan prepared to self-destruct rather than submit. Azuhan received a Soul Contract from Makal, who said he was an employee of the Richard Gerald Merchant Guild.

• Richard had Carrion and Sulina repair the vessel, then sailed toward the New World with the captain and first mate.
• Richard failed to activate a Wizard Alchemy Array with Dragon Alchemy methods and theorized that bloodline influenced how a soul shaped energy.
• Azuhan learned that Number 13 had gone missing in a Fire Element storm, then rushed to the dock when it returned intact.
• Richard stepped off Number 13 and offered to discuss cooperation with Azuhan, who began gathering energy to self-destruct.
• Makal handed Azuhan Richard’s Soul Contract and said he was an employee of the Richard Gerald Merchant Guild, not a slave.

Richard confronted Azuhan with a contract that would place the Fire Lizards under his protection, while Azuhan struggled between his pride and the survival of his people. After Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters confirmed the contract was genuine, Princess Akara agreed to it in Azuhan’s place, leaving him unconscious.

• Azuhan attacked Makal for presenting the contract, but Ulysses blocked the strike and Richard urged Azuhan to read the terms.
• Azuhan weighed the Fire Lizards’ food shortages and the danger of discovery, then read the contract despite the crowd’s anger.
• Richard summoned Carrion, Sulina, Patlin, and other Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters, who confirmed the contract was real and urged Azuhan to sign.
• Akara arrived at the docks, read the contract, and knocked Azuhan unconscious before agreeing to it herself.
• Akara knelt before Richard and Ulysses, and Richard helped her up after she accepted the contract.

Richard took control of the Fire Lizard refuge, claimed its Volcanic Turtle eggs and damaged Dragon Curse Holy Coffin, and assigned the survivors to useful roles. He later asked Gano to secure New World Island as his fief, and Gano required him to sign a Soul Contract before proceeding.

• Akara led Richard through the Fire Lizard storehouse, where he found three Volcanic Turtle eggs kept in lava and a damaged Dragon Curse Holy Coffin containing intact modification technology.
• Richard took the Holy Coffin and assigned the Fire Lizards to alchemy, hunting, agriculture, and preserving their civilization.
• Two months later, Richard met Gano in the Floating City and asked whether he could claim land in the Lava Sea as his fief.
• Gano realized Richard had found an island and, after hearing his explanation, gave him a Soul Contract to sign in case the island proved to have resources.

After securing a vast fief in the Lava Sea, Richard explored a business deal involving Dragon Alchemy and extracted a master Fire Lizard artisan’s lifetime of knowledge from a scimitar. He returned to the Wizard World, leaving Heskan to manage the mine’s farmland and its bitterly divided Fire Lizard workers.

• Gano finalized Richard’s fief documents, and Richard signed the deed to his extensive, resource-poor territory in the Crimson Sun World.
• Richard met Bob at the Nine Stars Merchant Guild and gave him Dragon Alchemy components for the guild’s masters to examine, then took several master-crafted Fire Lizard Blades.
• Richard extracted a slightly incomplete Dragon Alchemy technique and a tree pattern diagram from a Fire Lizard Scimitar, experiencing the artisan’s life and mastery through an illusion.
• Richard brought agricultural experts to the mine and assigned them to Heskan, who berated them for having fled overseas during the Kindling Plan.
• Richard left the Crimson Sun World through the Teleportation Gate, planning to arrange a long-distance teleportation array between the mine and the New World.

Richard returned to the Wizard World after the Plane War and reunited with Ellie before arriving at Gerald’s celebration for becoming a Third-Ring Wizard. Gerald learned that Richard had returned from the brutal expedition and that the Spell Support Vehicles Richard created had drawn enormous Legion orders.

• Richard renewed his Wizard Tower’s lease, mourned his deceased servants, and reunited with Ellie, who told him Gerald had advanced to the Third Ring.
• Richard and Ellie traveled to the Black Tower Wizard Academy to attend Gerald’s months-long banquet.
• Gerald discussed the nearly finished Plane Expedition with Alex and learned that more than half the participating wizards had died, including Theodore.
• Richard appeared at the banquet, greeted Gerald as his teacher, and revealed that the Blazing Sun Legion planned to order at least a thousand Spell Support Vehicles.
• The Ice Wind Legion also offered to order a thousand vehicles, and Alex told the stunned Gerald that Richard’s invention had made them wealthy.

Richard discussed improving Spell Support Vehicles with White Wizard Legion leaders, then showed Gerald Crimson Sun Gold Pattern Stone and ink that revealed rune wear. He accompanied Gerald to meet the dying Wizard Leo, who offered two Spatial Beacons for the Teleportation Array Richard wanted to place in the Crimson Sun World.

• Richard told the White Wizard Legion leaders that he planned to upgrade Spell Support Vehicles, and Gerald noticed Richard had advanced to the second ring.
• Richard showed Gerald the contract for fifty thousand tons of Crimson Sun Gold Pattern Stone and ink that strengthened runes and displayed their wear.
• Richard asked Gerald about commissioning a long-distance Teleportation Array, and Gerald promised to consult his old friend Leo.
• Great Wizard Black Tower announced Gerald’s appointment as Vice Dean of Black Tower Wizard Academy.
• Gerald visited Richard three days later and took him to meet Leo, an elderly wizard living in a black Wizard Tower outside the academies.
• Leo showed Richard and Gerald two Spatial Beacons and explained that they could be used to make Teleportation Arrays, though his frail body could not travel to another world.

Richard acquired premium Spatial Beacons from the dying Master Leo and arranged for a Teleportation Array to be built in Crimson Sun World. After Gawain completed the array at Richard’s fief, Richard marked the Lava Sea as their next destination.

• Gerald visited Leo, who said his surviving student would inherit his Wizard Tower and asked Gerald not to pour alcohol on his grave.
• Richard extracted a Spatial Beacon blueprint and crafting skill from Leo’s beacons, then bought the guild’s cheapest installation service using the beacons he had acquired.
• Gawain surveyed Richard’s fief in Crimson Sun World and selected an Earth Vein Node more than ten kilometers from the mine for the array.
• Gerald questioned Richard’s unusually generous mine rules, but the warehouse’s abundant Crimson Sun Gold Pattern Stone showed him the mine’s high production.
• Gawain completed the Teleportation Array, and Richard marked the Lava Sea on a map as their next destination.

Richard established a factory on New World Island to produce Active Flesh from Flame Giant Beasts, then sought out Azuhan with Harash's Helmet. The factory was complete and operating at reduced capacity, while Azuhan remained isolated after Akara signed the contract.

• The Fire Lizards hauled a giant whale ashore, and Akara welcomed Richard and his companions when they arrived at New World Island.
• Richard showed Gerald the Fire Lizards' Active Flesh and Chimera blueprints, and Gerald agreed to study the material.
• Gawain completed a Teleportation Array, allowing Gerald and Gawain to return to the Wizard World as Richard began building his factory.
• Richard and the Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters spent five years designing and producing the factory's machinery, completing a facility capable of making one hundred kilograms of Active Flesh per day.
• Richard learned that Azuhan had shut himself away after Akara signed the contract, then took Ulysses to find him and show him Harash's Helmet.

Azuhan confronted Richard over the surrender of the Fire Lizards, then accepted that his leadership was unsuited to the Kindling Plan and signed the Soul Contract. Back in the Wizard World, Richard met Mephisto, received plans for the Tesla Model 9 Shield Guard Alchemy Puppet, and passed out after drinking Mephisto’s potion-laced wine.

• Richard gave Azuhan his father’s helmet and rebuked him for failing to prioritize the continuation of Fire Lizard civilization.
• Azuhan saw the rebuilt island, its training ground, and the Flame Giant Beast processing base, and Akara explained how Richard had improved Fire Lizard life.
• Azuhan admitted he was unfit to lead the Kindling Plan and signed the unchanged Soul Contract Akara gave him.
• Richard met Mephisto at the Volcano Eruption tavern, exchanged an explanation of his armor-controlling method for Mephisto’s favor, and received the Tesla Model 9 Shield Guard Alchemy Puppet plans.
• Richard drank Mephisto’s potion-laced wine, became drunk, and fell asleep in midair as Ulysses caught him.

After waking from a week-long sleep, Richard studied the Tesla Model 9 Shield Guard Alchemy Puppet blueprints and shared them with his Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters. While he and Ellie examined fire-element wonders, the Fire Lizards found an ancient Sacred Armor design and resolved to forge armor of their own.

• Richard woke after seven days of sleep and discovered that his spiritual power and physique had improved from Mephisto's liquor.
• Richard studied the Tesla Model 9 Shield Guard Alchemy Puppet blueprints, estimated their high cost, and gave copies to the Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters to study.
• Richard learned from Iyad that Damir had died while capturing slaves and asked Iyad to contact him if anyone claimed Damir's belongings.
• Richard reunited with Ellie and gave her several fire-element wonders to analyze.
• The Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters connected the puppet blueprints to an ancient design for Sacred Armor and proposed forging a set of their own.

The Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters proposed building a simplified Sacred Armor-like suit called Exoskeleton Armor, and Richard approved the project. Before leaving, he redirected them to help Tarher finish the Crimson Sun Gold Pattern Stone ink research first.

• Sulina drew the Sacred Armor structures she remembered, and Patlin deduced that the armor worked like a body controlled through a neural system.
• Carrion summoned Richard to hear the Fire Lizards' proposal, and the group developed the name Exoskeleton Armor for their design concept.
• Carrion explained the idea to Richard, who approved the project and asked what resources the Alchemy Masters needed.
• Carrion requested neural control technology, and Richard told them to begin designing while he returned to the Crimson Sun World.
• Richard questioned Tarher about the ink research, then ordered the Alchemy Masters to help finish it before focusing on the armor project.
• Carrion named the armor project Mechanist.