Book Recap
Defiance of the Fall
Book 4 Recap· Released
TL;DR
Zac goes underground. Disguised as 'Mr. Black', he takes over the Underworld, destroys its Incursions, and sets up a consortium with the Underworld Council. On the surface the Undead hordes nearly break the Port Atwood army, and the Lich King's assassins shatter Alea's soul. Zac fuses his first Dao Fragment, hits level 75 in both classes, and enters the Tower of Eternity with Ogras, where he kills a Tsarun heir and ends the book three floors up with a System bounty on his head.
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I · The Main Plot
Where We Start
The Underworld has just been found. Zac is a level 75 Hatchetman at the top of F-grade, and the Undead Empire is advancing on all fronts. At the Everlasting Monastery, Abbot Peace summons a reincarnation of the Lotus Emperor.
Major Plot Points & Spoilers
- Abbot Peace and the monastery summon the Lotus Emperor's reincarnation, 84th Fatty. Abbot Peace gives Zac a Karmic tool to deal with the Great Redeemer. Fatty then leaves, taking the monks inside his inner world, and Zac earns the limited title Frontrunner and uses the tool to destroy a Karmic object of the Great Redeemer.
- In the Underworld Zac disguises himself as Mr. Black, a wandering Undead warrior. Smaug (Hassan), head of the first big faction, attacks, is beaten, and signs a 500-year servitude contract.
- Zac forms an Underworld Consortium to control its wealth (shares 50/10/25/10/5 between Zac, the Academy, the Demons, Verana and Calrin), frees a Union slave camp, removes the Union leadership, and meets the Underworld Council.
- A grinding trip gets Zac to level 60 Undying Bulwark. He kills the Battleroach King for the Profane Seal skill and finds the roaches were a Technocrat experiment. Zac destroys the Technocrat Incursion at nearly the cost of his and Ogras's lives, and Hardness reaches High.
- On the surface, the Port Atwood army is forced into a multi-day fighting retreat as the zombie hordes jam its teleport arrays. Half the army dies before Zac arrives, and Alea's soul is shattered by assassins sent by the Lich King Adriel. Zac smashes the horde and sends Alea home to a stasis array.
- Void's Disciple, the Dominator leader, meets Zac and offers help against their common Undead enemy. Zac, as Mr. Black, then takes out four more Underworld Incursions in five days, reaching level 73 Undying Bulwark.
- Zac ends the last Incursion in the Underworld, the Fire Golems, with the Council. He takes down a Birdman Incursion on the surface. Kenzie works out how to release the Origin Dao from the Dao Funnel, and Zac keeps the Funnel for his people. Seven people die, eight enter comas, and many break through.
- Zac fuses Sharpness and Heaviness into the Fragment of the Axe and reaches level 75 Undying Bulwark. He and Ogras then take the System's token to the Tower of Eternity, where they offend the Tsarun, meet Galau (who hires them to carry him up) and attend auctions.
- Zac kills Rasuiel Tsarun after being manipulated into attacking, taking his first spatial ring, a Prajna Cherry and a Pathfinder Oracle Eye. Catheya Sharva'Zi smells Draugr on Zac. The System puts a one-Tower-level bounty on him, so he, Ogras and Galau flee upward. They clear the first three floors in 13 days, with Zac fusing Rot and Hardness into the Fragment of the Coffin.
Where the Book Leaves Off
Zac and Ogras are on level 28 of the Tower (the top of the third floor), with Galau staying on level 31 to make Nexus Coins. Back on Earth, the Undead and the Church have teamed up to attack Port Atwood by ship, and Kenzie has lost her mech. Book 5 opens with Zac ascending the fourth floor.
II · Characters & Personal Progression
Romantic & Personal Status
Alea is the emotional center: her soul shatters and Zac sends her home to a stasis array. No new romance forms. Catheya notices him in the Tower, but only as a Draugr.
Inner Circle Check-In
- Ogras Azh'Rezak: Zac's partner in the Underworld and the Tower. He starts reforging his foundations and solos the third-floor guardian.
- Alea Azh'Rezak: Soul shattered by the Lich King's assassins. Calrin buys a stasis array to keep her alive.
- Kenzie: Releases the Origin Dao from the Dao Funnel, then fights the Undead with Technocrat drones. Her mech is lost.
- Sap Trang: Helps lead the Underworld team, and has a pet kraken.
- Billy and Thea: Badly hurt destroying an Undead-Church ship attacking Port Atwood.
- Joanna: Leads the Valkyries, has become Zac's PR chief and reaches 96th on the Power Ladder.
Key New Faces & Factions
A reincarnation summoned by Abbot Peace's monastery. He absorbs the monks and leaves.
Underworld faction head, defeated and bound to a 500-year servitude contract.
Slaver faction that trades with the invaders. Zac removes its leadership.
Thirteen members from all races. They join Zac against the Undead.
A merchant Zac and Ogras agree to carry up the Tower for 3 billion Nexus Coins and a Dao Treasure each.
Tsarun heir who tricks Zac into a fight and dies.
A Draugr Zac meets at the Tower, who senses Death on him.
Leads the Undead Incursion and runs the terraforming array that is changing Earth.
III · End-of-Book Stats & Power Gains
Current Rank / Grade
F-grade, peak, both bodies at level 75: Hatchetman and Undying Bulwark. Nearly 3 billion Nexus Coins by Book 4 Ch 93.
Dao / Path / Class Evolution
Zac has his first Dao Fragments: Axe (Heaviness and Sharpness) and Coffin (Rot and Hardness). Sanctuary is a Peak Seed and Trees is Peak. He has proved Dao fusion works.
Major Skill & Body Gains
- Level 75 Undying Bulwark skills Vanguard of Undeath and Undying Legion, and the Profane Seal (from the Battleroach King).
- Titles Frontrunner (limited), Promising Specialist and Tower of Eternity – 3rd Floor.
- A Prajna Cherry, a Pathfinder Oracle Eye, a spatial ring, the shield Everlasting, a Race Upgrade pill and two Node Breaking pills.
- The Primordial Breath Amanita and a Voidfire array from the Tower.
IV · Extras: Empire, Gear & World State
Territory & Faction Upgrades
Zac controls the Underworld through the Consortium and the Council alliance. Most Incursions there are gone, plus a Birdman Incursion on the surface. Port Atwood's army has taken heavy losses.
Signature Gear & Vessels
- Everlasting, an E-grade shield bought at a Tower auction.
- A spatial ring and a Pathfinder Oracle Eye that can upgrade Duplicity.
- His flying treasure was destroyed during the Undead attack.
Ticking Clocks
- The Lich King's realignment array is running early and Undead hordes are still on the surface.
- The System bounty and young Zecia elites who want him dead.
- Alea's soul needs healing, and no soul-healing pill is available yet.