AFTERWORD

Chapter 64

Chapter 53

Overview

Carl and his team are transported into Vinata's secret temple hideaway where they discover a trap: Vinata has summoned Khepri, the god of rebirth and the sunrise, to fight them on his own temple grounds. As the god and six nagas unfreeze from temporal stasis, a massive boss battle is officially announced, with an unexpected intervention from Admiral Corinne Whimpleshin of the Blood Sultanate attempting to call foul before combat begins.

Summary

Carl's group materializes in Vinata's hidden temple chamber, finding six nagas frozen in time by a temporal trap. Vinata, the only one unfrozen, is spitting orders; she has worshipped Khepri and summoned him to his own temple as a devastating trap. Carl immediately orders Katia and Prepotente to escape with Donut and reset the door, but both refuse to flee. The AI announcer dramatically declares a boss battle and provides extensive exposition: Vinata is about to inherit a solar system and her kingdom planned to seize shipbuilding factories, but her secret husband is dead and plans are now being leaked. Khepri is revealed as a Level 250 god of rebirth, retainer of Adrasteia, with an endless temple consisting of a banquet table covered in 433 types of bugs. He is invulnerable on this floor due to temple rules. As a 30-second countdown begins before unfreezing, Carl rapidly discusses strategy with his team via messaging. Suddenly, Admiral Corinne Whimpleshin, a camel adjutant of the Blood Sultanate, materializes and protests the god summoning as foul play, but Victory correctly invokes temple rules that permit deity summoning within temples. The countdown reaches zero and combat is about to begin.

Characters

  • CarlPrimary protagonist attempting to fight Vinata and survive the god summoning trap; orders allies to evacuate while planning to stay and fight
  • VinataPrimary antagonist; white naga warlord with six arms who has trapped Carl's team by summoning Khepri to her secret temple hideaway
  • KhepriThe summoned god of rebirth and sunrise, a beetle-headed deity of level 250 who is about to join the battle
  • KatiaAllied crawler who refuses to flee despite Carl's orders, choosing to stay and fight
  • PrepotenteAllied crawler and warlord who refuses to flee, determined to see Carl's plan through
  • Li JunAllied crawler frozen in time initially, participating in rapid strategy discussions
  • BautistaAllied crawler frozen in time initially, participating in rapid strategy discussions
  • ZhangMid-tier crawler who criticizes being unfavorably mentioned by the AI announcer; participates in strategy discussions
  • Li NaAllied crawler whose aura extends throughout the main club area; participates in strategy discussions
  • DonutMinor character who expresses shock and confusion about fighting a god; instructed to evacuate
  • VictoryNon-frozen entity present in the temple who defends the legitimacy of the battle against Admiral Whimpleshin's protest
  • Admiral Corinne WhimpleshinDromedarian camel adjutant of the Blood Sultanate who materializes to protest the god summoning as a foul but is overruled by temple rules
  • The purple naga with red highlightsOne of Vinata's cousins; a PR agent, frozen in the temple
  • The obsidian nagaOne of Vinata's cousins; a graphic designer, small-scaled, frozen in the temple
  • The yellow-hued nagasTwo of Vinata's personal guards armed with rifles, frozen in the temple
  • The purple-hued guard nagaOne of Vinata's three personal guards, frozen in the temple