Oz

NPCMonster

Oz
CurrentOriginalAngryCalcified"Future"
Title	Chief Knight of Fire
Hometown	Henesys
Current Residence	Ereve
Gender	Female
Race	Human
Affiliations	Cygnus Knights Empress Cygnus Neinheart Maple Alliance
Minions	Blaze Wizards
Enemies	Black Mage Black Wings Gerand Darmoor High Flora
Status	Alive (Lore) Fightable (gameplay)
Name (Other Servers)
KoreaMS	오즈 (Oz)
JapanMS	オズ (Oz)
ChinaMS	奥兹 (Oz)
TaiwanMS	奧茲 (Oz)
Voice Actors
GlobalMS	Xanthe Huynh
KoreaMS	Yeojin Yoon
JapanMS	Maaya Uchida

World Archive

“Oz serves as the Chief Knight of Fire among the Cygnus Knights' five leaders.
In everyday life, she is kind and adorable, but when she enters battle, she wields powerful fire magic. I once saw her completely scorch an entire hill during a monster extermination mission.
She also seems to be on friendly terms with Chief Knight Irena.”

― Chronicler Q

Oz is the Chief Knight of Fire and the Blaze Wizard instructor.

Story

Becoming the Chief Knight of Fire

Oz grew up in a large family of magicians whom she was very close with. As she began undertaking magic lessons, it quickly became apparent that Oz was a magical prodigy, for which her instructor recommended that she join the Cygnus Knights. Though the idea of leaving her family scared her, Oz was encouraged by her family to go where her talent could bloom. After joining the Cygnus Knights, Oz continued staying in touch with her family, who would all send her many cakes from each of them on her birthdays. Over time, the Cygnus Knights continued to grow, with several other Knights - Irena, Eckhart, and Hawkeye - being recruited. Along with Mihile, the five of them investigated unusual behavior of Drakes in Sleepywood, which had gone berserk. In Sleepywood, the Knights were shocked to find the Drakes rampaging around the town. Hawkeye noted that the Drakes rarely emerged from their caves, which meant that they were either hungry or there was some problem with their territory. He also speculated that someone may have lured the Drakes into town on purpose. Eckhart immediately teleported over and began fighting the Drakes on the flat grounds of the town. The rest of the Knights then began evacuating the townspeople, after which they decided to split up and take care of the five Drake subspecies.

Hawkeye suspected that Eckhart was taking care of the Dark Drakes in the caves. He explained that, contrary to their names, Dark Drakes used electricity, which made them less than ideal for him to fight. Mihile then ordered Oz to protect the townspeople from the Copper Drakes before tasking Hawkeye and Irena to eliminate the Ice Drakes and Red Drakes, respectively. With everyone given their assignment, Mihile headed into the caves and took care of the frenzied Drakes. On his way out, however, he discovered a strange scale that emitted a purple gas. Believing that it was a clue, he decided to take it with him. Back in town, he rendezvoused with Oz, Hawkeye, and Irena, who all reported that the monsters in the caves were coming back to their senses. Irena wondered why the Drakes would act up when they weren't particularly intelligent creatures, to which Mihile explained that he had found a potential clue. As they prepared to head back to Ereve, Oz wondered where Eckhart was when the Night Walker suddenly revealed himself from the shadows. Back in Ereve, the five Knights reported their success to Neinheart and noted their concerns about the Drakes' abnormal behavior. Neinheart suspected that the Drakes' behavior was related to a related incident in Henesys, in which the Golems had started behaving erratically too. Mihile then presented the strange scale to Neinheart and explained that it seemed to have poison powder. Neinheart grew thoughtful and noted that it warranted its own investigation before congratulating the Knights on their successful mission.

Soon after, Oz received an emergency telegram from Neinheart, who who ordered all knights to return to Ereve immediately. Oz rushed to Ereve and met with Neinheart and the other senior Knights. Neinheart explained that several Cygnus Knights had inexplicably begun to turn on each other, as though they had been bewitched. Hawkeye noted that it seemed as though someone wanted to cause a division amongst them, causing Eckhart to wonder whether the perpetrators were spies. Neinheart told them that he believed otherwise, adding that Shinsoo was doing what she could to keep the rest of the knights pacified. Mihile then asked him where Cygnus was, to which Neinheart regrettably replied that he had lost sight of her. He then tasked the Knights with defeating the wayward knights and rescuing the Empress. While the other Knights defeated the ensorcelled knights of their respective divisions, Oz fought through the bewitched Blaze Wizards. After Mihile saved the Empress, Neinheart noted that the same thing which had happened to the Drakes had happened to the Knights, concluding that the same person had been responsible for both. He added that only the Black Wings would attack them so brazenly, but nevertheless, he expressed his relief that the crisis was over. With the situation resolved, Neinheart and Cygnus announced that they were planning to name the five Chief Knights who would lead each division of the Cygnus Knights. Cygnus then appointed each knight and blessed them with the power of an elemental spirit. Oz was then Chief Knight of Fire and led the Blaze Wizards with the power of Ignis.

Some time after her appointment, Oz received several birthday cakes from her family. Oz then asked Irena to have Mihile return to Ereve. There, Mihile found Oz sharing another birthday cake with everyone. Mihile was surprised that she had received yet another cake, to which Oz explained that she had a large family, all of whom had been magicians. During her magic lessons, Oz had been revealed to be a prodigy, and so she had been recommended to join the Cygnus Knights. Despite being far from home, Oz kept in touch with her family, who fully supported her dreams. She then wondered whether Eckhart wanted cake, causing Mihile to wonder whether Eckhart had ever even had cake before. Oz then asked Mihile for a favor to drop a letter from Hawkeye to a house in Lith Harbor, which Hawkeye had initially asked her to do on his behalf.

Puppeteer Detector

After Francis the Puppeteer began controlling the monsters on Victoria Island, Oz worked together with 10 Boogies to create a Puppeteer Detector, which could pick up traces of the magic that Francis used to control monsters.

Hilla's Deception

In order to destabilize Cygnus's legitimacy as the Empress, Hilla posed as a noblewoman and publicly made a claim that she was the true heir to Ereve. With Shinsoo away for unknown reasons, an emergency conference was held in Ereve, where Hilla would testify for her right to the throne. Oz - alongside the other Chief Knights - attended the conference and listened as Hilla claimed to be the descendant of Empress Aria by presenting Skaia, the treasure of Ereve. Though Oz and the other Knights argued on behalf of Cygnus, Hilla continued overriding their arguments until Phantom himself appeared and exposed Hilla's treachery.

Training the Knight

Note: This section only takes place if the player is a Blaze Wizard.

A Knight's Path

A descendant of the Noblesse - an ancient order of warriors who had sworn to uphold Shinsoo's ideals - was formally inducted into the Cygnus Knights by Empress Cygnus, after which they met with the five Chief Knights and chose their path, becoming a Blaze Wizard under Oz's tutelage. After the Cygnus Knight successfully completed their first mission in Victoria Island, they were dispatched to investigate the Black Wings in Edelstein. As they were about to board the airship, Oz arrived and asked whether it was true that they had defeated Francis the Puppeteer. The Knight dismissed their actions as merely luck, and though Oz was pleased by their humbleness, she warned the Knight to remain vigilant, as darkness grew stronger even as they did. She then wished the Knight good luck on their mission, explaining that she had a mission of her own to complete. Before she left, however, Oz reached out to 10 Boogies in Edelstein and asked her to supervise the Knight's training while they were on their mission, for which 10 Boogies tasked the Knight with defeating the nearby Water Thief Monsters. After the Knight successfully completed their mission in Edelstein, they were tasked by Cygnus to seek out Oz, who told them that she was impressed by how much they had accomplished, especially given that they were only a Knight-in-Training. She then suggested that the Knight take the Official Knighthood exam. Once the Knight accepted, Oz asked them to go to the Second Drill Hall and defeat a clone of a Jr. Balrog, which was significantly weaker than the real one, though challenging nevertheless. The Knight defeated the clone and brought back a Proof of Knighthood, after which Oz promoted them to Official Knight. Soon after, the Knight began training in Maple World and growing stronger, after which Neinheart recommended that they try becoming an Advanced Knight. He sent them to meet with Oz, who agreed that they had become stronger. However, she explained that while their Official Knighthood exam had tested their strength, their Advanced Knighthood exam would test their faith. She explained that a Knight's faith was revealed when facing inner darkness, and so she sent the Knight to the Third Drill Hall, where the Knight faced their inner darkness in the form of a dark shadow. They then reported back to Oz, who was pleased by their success and sent them to meet the Empress. Cygnus was also impressed by their growth and unlocked greater power within them before promoting them to Advanced Knight.

Soon after, Neinheart reached out to them again and noted that they had grown much stronger. He explained that he had an urgent secret mission that he normally would have only entrusted a Chief Knight to undertake, but as all the Chief Knights were away on missions, he had decided to entrust it to the Knight on Oz's recommendation. He asked them to retrieve a special book from Wiz the Librarian at Helios Library, emphasizing that it was highly important. At the library, however, Wiz told them that a group of unidentified people with strange devices and animals had demanded that he give them the book shortly before the Knight had arrived. He explained that the book was ancient and had recently been found on an old bookshelf in Helios Library. As it had been written in a strange language, he had no idea what the contents of the book were, although he added that the Cygnus Knights had asked to retrieve it upon learning that the Black Wings were trying to take it. The Knight chased after the group and caught up with them near Ludibrium Station. They were surprised to find that the group was comprised of the Resistance leaders. The Knight asked them to hand the book over, but Claudine refused to give it up, claiming that the Cygnus Knights would only hide the book away, rather than use it against the Black Wings. However, the Knight refused to give up, explaining that it was their mission to bring the book back to Ereve. As tensions grew higher, Black Wings henchmen suddenly arrived to seize the book. The group switched focus to fighting the Black Wings henchmen. During the battle, Claudine was injured, and just as more enemies closed in, Oz and a legion of Cygnus Knights arrived to reinforce them. As the Resistance and the Cygnus Knights began squabbling over the book, Claudine unexpectedly ordered the others to retreat and gave the book to the Knight, claiming that it would be safer in Ereve than in Edelstein, which the Black Wings had made their base. She added that she now knew that the Knight was powerful and admitted that the Resistance wouldn't have been able to protect the book without their help. She told the Knight that, as the Resistance still didn't trust them, they would be keeping watch from afar. Oz then asked the Knight to deliver the book to Neinheart, who congratulated them on their successful mission.

Gate to the Future

Soon after, Neinheart contacted the Knight and noted that they had grown very strong, with few Cygnus Knights being able to match their strength. He told them that rumors had been circulating that Cygnus and the Knights had betrayed Maple World and joined the Black Mage. Though he believed it to be absurd, he acknowledged that rumors grew stronger as more people talked about them, regardless of how ridiculous they were. He also noted that since the rumors originated from the Gate to the Future, someone might have confused a hypothetical future with reality. He asked them to investigate the rumors, but as the Temple of Time was dangerous, he told them that they would work alongside Oz. He then sent them to meet with Della, one of their informants. At the Temple of Time, Oz and the Knight met with Della, who told them that the rumors about the Cygnus Knights betraying Maple World in the future were true, with Cygnus being known as the Axle of Evil. However, she explained that a strange black fog was coming out of the Gate to the Future, preventing both her and the Temple Keepers from entering. Oz decided that they would need to look into it themselves and asked Della about the fog. She explained that the fog pushed people away the further they entered, preventing them from catching anything more than a glimpse of the future. Oz and the Knight arrived at the Gate to the Future, where they discovered the thick black fog emanating from beyond the door. The Knight felt as though something was calling to them, and so they entered through the door and arrived in Future Ereve, where they encountered Future Cygnus and her corrupted Chief Knights. Suddenly, the Knight began to feel an unnatural drowsiness overtake them and lost consciousness.

They soon awoke back at the Temple of Time to the sight of Oz attempting to wake them up. Suddenly, the black fog formed tendrils of darkness that attempted to grab at the Knight. Oz immediately pushed them aside, but the tendrils instead ensnared her and dragged her into the Gate to the Future. The Knight rushed in after Oz, but they were soon engulfed by the same unnatural sense of drowsiness. As they felt their consciousness fade away, the Knight heard Cygnus's voice calling out to them and reminding them of who they were. The Knight was able to remain awake and found themselves in a dreamscape, where they discovered a Wightmare placing Oz into an enchanted sleep. The Knight quickly defeated the Wightmare and took Oz back to the Temple of Time. Oz awoke and thanked them for their help, explaining that the Wightmare had been trying to brainwash her by planting images into her mind. Suddenly, Della rushed over to them and explained that there was an emergency in Ereve, as the Empress had fallen. Oz and the Knight rushed back to Ereve, where they found that the black fog had engulfed the island. They found Neinheart and the others huddled around an unconscious Cygnus and asked what had happened. Neinheart explained that the black fog had suddenly appeared, causing Cygnus to pass out right after. He noted that the black fog was no simple attack, as it had been able to bypass both Ereve's barrier and Shinsoo's protection. Kinu, one of the Piyo training instructors, noted that Cygnus had fallen into an enchanted sleep, which the Knight realized was just like what had happened to them. Oz noted that Cygnus' power was fading and that she was in grave danger, since she had not yet fully accepted Shinsoo's power.

As the Chief Knights argued about what to do, Shinsoo sensed that the Knight had learned something significant in the Gate to the Future and asked them to share it with the others. After the Knight explained how they had been ensnared by the black fog, Neinheart realized that since Cygnus's power and that of the Cygnus Knights were intertwined, the Knight being affected by the black fog may have inadvertently resulted in Cygnus experiencing the same. Neinheart told the Knight that just as they had saved Oz, they now needed to save Cygnus within her dreamscape as well. Through the grace of Shinsoo, Neinheart sent the Knight into Cygnus's dreamscape, where they found her staring at her corrupted self through a mirror. Suddenly, Future Cygnus shattered the mirror, knocking the real Cygnus out, and emerged through the other side. The Knight immediately fought Future Cygnus and defeated her, sending both the real Cygnus and themselves back into the real world. Around them, the black fog dissipated as Cygnus awoke from her nightmare. Some time after the incident, Neinheart thanked the Knight for their valiant efforts and noted that based on everything that he and Oz had observed, the Knight had risen to become the epitome of a Cygnus Knight, both in power and valor. He then explained that Oz had discovered that the power of the black fog had been entirely foreign, after which he asked the Knight whether they had found any clues while fighting the Wightmare and Future Cygnus. The Knight told him that they were certain that the mastermind wasn't a Black Wings member, as the Wightmare's clothes had the pattern of a butterfly, not the Black Wings' symbol. Neinheart realized that they were likely facing a new enemy and resolved to look into them. He also told them that with the black fog having lifted from the Gate to the Future, he was planning on sending a full-scale investigation to investigate the rumors. He then told the Knight that Cygnus had something important to tell them. The Knight went to meet Cygnus, who noted that they had grown stronger while holding true to their beliefs, never once losing their heart while protecting the weak. Because of their valor, Cygnus promoted them to Chief Knight. Soon after, Oz congratulated them for their promotion and added that they expected great things from the Knight.

Cygnus Awakens

As part of an upcoming Alliance meeting away from Ereve, the Chief Knights were assigned to serve as Cygnus's security detail. Oz and the other Chief Knights rendezvoused at the Six Path Crossway, when suddenly, an injured Kiku arrived at the station and explained that Ereve was under attack, and that though Shinsoo was fighting off the invaders, the situation was looking grim. Neinheart asked Kiku who had attacked Ereve, to which he explained that it was an unknown man with grey skin and purple hair. Cygnus immediately decided that she would return along with the rest of the Chief Knights, as their forces would otherwise be split between protecting her and reinforcing Shinsoo. Neinheart agreed with her, explaining that there was a chance that the attack on Ereve could be a ruse to draw them away from Cygnus. He decided that it would be best for them to all return to Ereve together, adding that he would postpone the Alliance meeting as well. As they prepared to debark, Neinheart began wondering what the enemy's goal could be in attacking Ereve. The Knights then reached Ereve, only to find the entire island in ruins. For an instant, they saw Damien smirking in front of Shinsoo's body before he teleported away with Alicia. The Knights rushed ahead and found Shinsoo lying motionless, causing Cygnus to burst into tears and cry over Shinsoo's body. Suddenly, a surge of power welled up inside her, causing a large water barrier to envelop around herself and Shinsoo. Mihile rushed forward in an attempt to save the Empress, but found that his attacks did nothing. Neinheart was shocked at the sight of Cygnus constructing a barrier with her own power, and not with Shinsoo's, which he had believed to be impossible. Within the water barrier, Cygnus experienced an awakening and a transformation. With her new powers, she touched Shinsoo's body and restored vitality to the divine beast. Over the next few months, the Knights rebuilt Ereve after Damien's attack, with Shinsoo leaving Ereve to a refuge in Leafre. Soon after, the Knight whom Oz had trained was called to Leafre by Shinsoo, who revealed that Cygnus had prematurely awakened as a Transcendent-in-waiting.

Arcane River Expedition

After the Arcane River was created, the Adversary pushed forward through the Vanishing Journey and began sending letters to the Alliance about their findings. As massive black chains began descending upon Maple World, Cygnus ordered the Alliance to move forward into the Arcane River and follow the Adversary. In the Vanishing Journey, Hawkeye began facing the Erda monsters, noting that despite the monsters being weak, his attacks were barely doing any damage at all. As he began realizing that they couldn't push forward into the Arcane River when they were being pushed to their limits in such small skirmishes, Oz approached him and informed him that she had also been struggling against the Erda monsters, noting that even fire magic couldn't deal damage to them. She told Hawkeye that just as the Adversary had said in their letter, they would need to use a special method to deal damage to the Erdas in the Arcane River. Hawkeye recalled what the Adversary had said about harnessing the Erdas inside them and began wondering how in the world the Adversary had managed to accomplish such a feat. Oz agreed, noting that such a power was impossible to achieve by mere mortals, and that only the guidance of the Goddesses could help awaken such an ability. Just then, a Cygnus Knight arrived and reported that he had found another message from the Adversary floating up the river. Upon reading the letter, Oz and Hawkeye learned about the Adversary's journey past the Vanishing Journey into Chu Chu Island, as well as the fact that the entire region had been created from a fusion of Maple World's Erdas. Noting that the Arcane River itself seemed vast and confusing, Hawkeye wondered how they could fight past the Erda monsters and make any progress towards the end. Oz reminded him that Ereve was still conducting research on defeating Erdas, and that there was still hope.

Tenebris

During the final assault of the White Spear to reach the Black Mage, Oz accompanied the greatest warriors of the Alliance to the Temple of Darkness. There, the Adversary and their allies confronted the Black Mage, who addressed the Alliance from the Throne of Darkness and declared that their path had always been preordained, and that they were only quickening their pace to its end. Cygnus then addressed the Black Mage and declared that the Maple Alliance would never support him before she rallied the Chief Knights into attacking. After the Adversary and the Alliance defeated the knights, Eckhart noted that the battle had been difficult. Hawkeye jokingly asked Eckhart whether he was tired already, with Irena reminding him that they still had a long way to go, as they had only beaten the gatekeepers. Oz encouraged everyone to keep going, reminding them that they still had the strength to fight on.

Aftermath

In Ereve, Empress Cygnus addressed her Knights and thanked them all for their bravery. She then asked if they were willing to continue following her in the fight against evil, which garnered a rallying cry for Cygnus.

Note: This section only takes place if the player is a Blaze Wizard.

Oz told the Knight that their passion was like a big, blazing fireball, to which the Knight noted that it was all because they were Oz's student. Oz noted that they were still quite humble, even after having come so far, and added that she hoped that the flame's protection would keep them safe.

Will's Escape

Following the battle of Tenebris, Will was captured and brought to Ereve's prison, where he remained under guard by the Chief Knights. After Grendel the Really Old began interrogating him, Will gave him a core containing the Black Mage's thoughts, prompting Grendel to chase after the truth behind the purpose of the Transcendents. As Grendel disappeared, powerful Soot monsters from Tenebris appeared from inside the prison, which Oz began fighting as she stood guard from the outside. Soon after, the Adversary and Neinheart arrived at the prison, where they found Oz fighting the Soot monsters. After helping her defeat them, they rushed inside and found Hawkeye fighting several more monsters. The Adversary quickly took care of them, after which Hawkeye reported that Will had done something to Grendel, causing him to vanish. After Grendel broke the dimensional seal and caused Maple World and Grandis to fuse, Mihile and the Dawn Warriors arrested Grendel and detained him in Ereve's prison, which Oz reinforced with her magic to ensure that Grendel could not escape. Oz enchanted Grendel's cell to be completely impervious to information from the outside, making it so that Grendel could not see anyone from within his cell, while others coming into the prison could see him.

Cosim's Infiltration

A few months after the events of Cernium, Cosim infiltrated Ereve, prompting Oz and the Chief Knights to chase after him. As they did, Neinheart found a set of rabbit-like footprints leading in the opposite direction. He then ran into Cosim who told him that some of the answers that the Alliance sought about the Ancient Gods could be found amidst the deserts of Grandis, after which he disappeared. As the Chief Knights returned, Cosim overlooked them on a cliff, watching them speak with Neinheart.

Investigating Yum Yum Island

After the convergence of Maple World and Grandis, Neinheart tasked Oz with investigating the experiments in Yum Yum Island, which the Alliance had initially believed to be the work of the Black Mage's followers. With the Alliance's expeditions into Grandis, Neinheart began reassessing his determination and started considering that it could be the work of a third party. Oz's investigation led her to discover that the perpetrator may have come from Grandis, and with the help of Hoyoung and Lara, she determined that Kaling was responsible for the Erda experiments there. Soon after the expedition to Hotel Arcus, Oz attended a meeting with Neinheart, the Adversary, and the Chief Knights, where she reported that she had looked into it, and that all the clues pointed straight back to Grandis, just as Neinheart had suspected. She explained that though she hadn't found many solid leads, there had been eyewitnesses amongst their allies in Grandis who had met the responsible party, whose help had allowed them to fill in the dots. Oz then explained that the suspect's name was Kaling. Though she appeared to be an Anima to the untrained eye, who or what she really was remained a mystery. Oz also reported that it was unknown whether Kaling was affiliated with Gerand Darmoor or if she was another threat, adding that the Blaze Wizards would keep investigating.

Mission to Odium

Angler Company Invasion

Some time after the mission to Karote, Oz arrived at the Secret Plaza in order to convey an important message. Oz greeted the Adversary and explained that the Cygnus Knights' reconnaissance team had just returned from surveying the wreckage of Karote, and that they had reported that the tower had rebuilt itself. With the Angler Company airfleet preparing for invasion and Kaling being last seen heading towards Karote, Oz requested the Resistance's aid in investigating Odium. Claudine suggested that Brighton, a fellow mage, accompany Oz and told them that they ought to hurry, as even with the dimensional boundaries between their worlds broken, the deserts of Grandis would still take a while to get to. Just then, Cosim - who was being repaired by the Resistance - appeared and told them that he could help them with that, as he could teleport four people to Odium right away, including himself. The Adversary asked if he would be alright, as he was still recovering. Cosim replied that though he wouldn't be able to stay for long, he would still be functional enough for the journey. Cosim then teleported them to the top of Karote, where Oz marveled at being able to see such a large artifact. Brighton agreed, adding that any magician would be excited to see something like Karote. He noted that Guardian Kalos had to have been quite formidable to knock the tower down over and over again.

The Adversary then noticed a series of steps that led to the entrance of Odium. Cosim told the Adversary that he wouldn't be able to go any further, to which the Adversary asked if he was worried about running into his family. Cosim confirmed their suspicions, though he told them not to worry, as he had called someone stronger to help them, adding that they would find him inside the door. Before he left, Cosim also warned the group about the mechanical dolls that the researchers had created to filter out intruders. When Oz asked him what he meant by ‘filter out', Cosim explained that the researchers hadn't simply abandoned the laboratory, but rather, they had converted all of Odium into a machine that could continue running without them, with the dolls being placed to eternally watch over the laboratory. Oz realized that if the researchers' guards were still in Odium, then their research might still be there too, as she couldn't think of any other reason why they would still maintain the laboratory. She then asked Cosim whether by ‘dolls', he meant to say golems, to which Brighton added that he had been thinking of androids, as well as the implications of their operation. He noted that it took a considerable amount of energy to power just one mechanical doll, let alone an army of them, and wondered what could possibly be powering them all. He then added that it reminded him of what Gelimer had wanted from the Verne Mine.

Oz also wondered why the researchers had even left in the first place, as it would have been far simpler for them to have stayed if they had wanted to keep Odium operational, rather than building and powering so many dolls. She noted that the researchers must have had a good enough reason to leave. Cosim then explained that, in a sense, the dolls were merely components of the larger machine, and that Odium's backbone was somewhere deep inside the laboratory, with only the researchers knowing where or what it was. The Adversary realized that Cosim was talking about Odium's power source. They then recalled how he had mentioned that the Company founder had lost his power source, and that his children were searching for a replacement. Brighton realized that the Angler Company was likely attempting to steal the power source for the Company founder. Oz noted that the Company founder also wanted the power of the Adversary, as Odium was where Adversaries had been made, meaning that the founder's goals could be related to that, too. Brighton complimented Oz for her sharp thinking and told her that he was glad that the Cygnus Knights had sent her out, adding that he believed that she would help them out a lot. Cosim then told the Adversary that he had shared everything that he knew and wished them luck, adding that he hoped to see them next time.

After Cosim teleported away, the Glory Guard arrived in Odium, which was filled with several robotic Guardians that the Adversary recognized from Karote. As they moved closer, they realized that the Guardians had been reprogrammed to obey the Angler Company. Just then, the Guardians detected a life force and moved in on a man with cybernetic Anima features in the form of rabbit ears and a tiger tail. The Guardians analyzed the man and detected no anglerfish insignia on him, which caused them to identify him as an enemy. As the Guardians began to attack, the man cried out for help, and the Adversary decided to save him. However, Oz reminded them that according to Cosim, there were no humans left in Odium, meaning that the man was just a mechanical doll. However, the Adversary replied that, regardless, the man had called out for help. Brighton noted that they were about to face a battle no matter what, and that they might as well help if they could. The Glory Guard moved in and destroyed the Guardians, after which the man thanked them for saving him. The man introduced himself as Alter, one of the Constables who looked after Odium. He then explained that the researchers had left Kalos and the other Guardians on watch, while the Constables maintained order, as they had hoped that it would be enough to keep their technology out of the wrong hands. However, after Kalos had fallen, strange airships had appeared in the sky, with the intruders somehow knowing exactly what they were looking for. He explained that the intruders had spread out and had taken the residential district with precision tactics and coordination, reprogramming the Guardians to turn on the Constables. Brighton asked if the technology in the laboratory was still intact, to which Alter replied that the intruders had only taken the residential district, with the laboratory still remaining secure. He explained that several Constables had barricaded themselves inside, where they were devising a strategy to retake the residential district. However, he added that the intruders had captured multiple Constables, who were being interrogated as they spoke.

Meeting Tai Yu

Alter then led the Glory Guard into Odium, where they found the path blocked by Angler Company robots. The Adversary then suggested that Brighton and Oz attack from both sides, while they and Alter distract the enemy. After clearing up the robots, Brighton and Oz rushed ahead to find the Adversary and Alter facing off against Laha Angler. Alter then told the Glory Guard to go on ahead while he held off Laha, allowing them to reach the top of the stairs and encounter three Constables named Na-Sol, Haram, and Aro. Though the Constables refused to believe the Glory Guard's story, Master Tai Yu suddenly appeared and told Na-Sol that though he understood how he felt, he cautioned him against jumping to conclusions. He then added that he could personally vouch for the Adversary. Noting that it was their first time meeting, Tai Yu warmly greeted them. Tai Yu explained that he was nobody special, and that he had just happened to be passing by when someone had asked him to lend them a hand. An unconvinced Brighton sardonically asked whether he just happened to be in the area, though the Adversary pointed out that Cosim had mentioned that he would send someone else to help them. Tai Yu explained that he sometimes bumped into Cosim during their work for the elders. He added that though the ‘old geezers' wouldn't like him helping the Adversary, there was nothing that he could do about it, as he could afford to deal with the consequences later if the Adversary was the one in trouble.

Na-Sol then asked whether it was true that there were still active Constables in the residential district, to which Aro mentioned that they ought to tell Winnie, as he would be happy to hear it. However, Na-Sol nevertheless believed that the residential district was a lost cause, adding that false hope wouldn't do them any good. Oz then explained that the Angler Company was trying to open the door to the laboratory by interrogating the Constables in the residential district. Brighton added that since their interrogation had failed, the Company had brought in someone from outside. Oz and the Adversary then concluded that Kaling was the one whom the Company had called in. Na-Sol was surprised, adding that he had never thought that he would hear that name again. Haram was equally shocked and noted that it couldn't be her, as the elders had sealed her before they had left. Aro then realized that her seal must have degraded over time. When the Adversary asked if they knew Kaling, Aro explained that Kaling was one of their creators, and that she had been the sweetest person in the laboratory when they had known her. Realizing that the Adversary didn't know about Kaling's history in Odium, Aro explained that the other researchers had left journal entries about her, and that they might find something useful if they could wade through the mess in the laboratory. She clarified that by ‘mess', she was referring to the guards that the researchers had left behind. Brighton noted that it was obvious, as the researchers wouldn't have left guards if there wasn't anything to protect. Aro explained that the guards also functioned as cleaners, which meant that they might have paper records mixed among them. She then gave the Adversary an intercom to stay in touch before they headed inside. Before the Adversary left, Aro told them that the records from April, June, and November were the most pertinent ones.

After reading the records, the Adversary returned to Tai Yu, who noted that judging by the look on their face, they had finished reading about Kaling. Aro then interrupted and asked the Adversary about what had happened in the residential district, explaining that the last Constable who had escaped wanted to speak with them. Aro introduced them to Winnie, a Constable who looked like a little boy. Na-Sol explained that Winnie was the one who had deactivated the stairs between the town and the laboratory, and that he had been by himself until the Adversary had come along. Na-Sol began telling the Adversary that Winnie still hadn't told them what he had seen in the residential district when Haram interrupted. Haram told them that before they continued, he wanted to tell them that the Constables were ready to help, and that they were even planning to power the stairs back up fairly soon. Na-Sol added that though they were merely dolls built to serve a purpose, they had all been together for a long time, and so they needed to look out for each other. Winnie then spoke up and asked the Adversary if they were the one who had mentioned that there were still Constables in the residential district. When the Adversary confirmed that there were, Winnie accused them of lying, claiming that it was impossible. He explained that when he had shut down the stairs, he had seen all power to the residential district being cut, resulting in not just the lights shutting down, but the Constables themselves. He then noted that despite having been in Odium for so many years, none of them had any idea that the entire residential district's power switched off if it wasn't connected to the laboratory.

Winnie explained that because of the power being cut, it wasn't possible that the Adversary could have met any Constables there, adding that any Constables that were still intact would have been in sleep mode. Oz insisted that they had, in fact, met several Constables, including one named Alter, whom she explained had helped them reach the laboratory. A surprised Aro replied that all the Constables knew each other, and that there was no one named Alter in Odium. Confused, Brighton wondered how that fit with all that they had seen in the residential district. Oz pointed out that the Angler Company had tried hacking Kalos, and that though the Company hadn't been successful, they had managed to take him over for a short time. She noted that the Constables were physically weaker than Kalos, meaning that their cybersecurity might be weaker too, such that the Company could have taken them over completely. At her words, Brighton realized that everything and everyone they had seen in the residential district had been controlled by the Angler Company. The Adversary immediately realized that they had been tricked, but just as they began warning the Constables not to power the stairs, the stairs were suddenly powered on as Kaling appeared, floating down from the sky on her umbrella onto one of the roofs. Kaling thanked the Adversary for helping her return to Odium, and to express her gratitude, she offered to show them around, noting that the elders had left some rejects in the laboratory. She then summoned a horde of failed test subjects from inside the laboratory and told the Adversary that they could play with the monsters instead. As she turned to leave, she laughed that she was off to reclaim the power that had been stolen from her.

After the Adversary defeated the monsters, Na-Sol asked if they were alright before explaining that someone had activated the stairs from the residential district as soon as the Constables had finished restoring power to them. He added that he had no idea how Kaling had done it, as the only stair controls were up where they were currently at. He noted that the stairs had been made to protect the laboratory, and that putting controls down below wouldn't make any sense. Tai Yu explained that though Kaling was a Vessel, she was also contaminated, meaning that the elders' security systems would have picked that up immediately. However, he realized that the elders' security measures only applied to doors, which would remain closed to her, but as stairs couldn't be closed, they would have connected after recognizing her as a Vessel. Oz wondered why Kaling had waited for so long to connect the stairs, to which Brighton pointed out that it took an immense amount of energy to make anything move at such a scale. He noted that when the stairs had been down, the lights had gone out and the Constables had stopped moving, causing him to realize that the stairs were also a power conduit. The Adversary pointed out that the Angler Company was likely looking for the source of that power, though they wondered what it was that Kaling wanted. Oz recalled how Kaling had mentioned that she wanted to get back the power that had been stolen from her. Tai Yu then asked what their next move was, to which the Adversary decided that they would go after Kaling. Tai Yu agreed to come with the Glory Guard, adding that he might be able to lend a hand.

Heart of the Laboratory

The Glory Guard and Tai Yu then fought through the Company robots and test subject rejects before arriving at the heart of Odium, where they were surprised to find Kaling and Laha fighting. The Adversary realized that the laboratory would collapse from the damage if Kaling and Laha weren't stopped. Just then, Oz noticed Hundun inside the large container, causing them all to realize that he was Odium's power source. A surprised Tai Yu explained that the monster was Hundun, the last of the Four Perils, to which Oz noted that he had mentioned that the researchers had taken care of him. Brighton also noted that Tai Yu had been surprised to see Hundun, meaning that he hadn't known about him. Tai Yu explained that though the elders had their weak points, they also had their own sense of duty and morality. As they knew that their experiments had done harm to people, they had wanted to make things right and atone for their sins after the Ancient Gods had fallen dormant. However, he noted that the elders had perhaps decided that they hadn't been at fault for the Four Perils. However, the aghast Adversary pointed out that even if the elders hadn't been responsible for Hundun, they had still used a sentient being to power their laboratory. Just then, Hundun spoke from his prison and echoed the Adversary's words about him being sentient, asking if that was really the first descriptor that came to mind. As Laha and Kaling continued battling, Hundun projected a hologram of himself and created a bubble around the Glory Guard so that they could speak privately. He laughed and told the Adversary not to mind Kaling and Laha, whom he called fools, explaining that it was them whom he wanted to speak with, as he had been waiting quite some time for them to arrive. Hundun explained that with the stairs down, his power hadn't been able to reach the residential district, but once they had set foot inside the laboratory, they had been in his domain. He recognized the Adversary as not only a Vessel, but one that had been completed once before. He explained that even in his current state, he had been able to see many of the things that had been happening in the world below. Hundun then asked the Adversary how they were still intact, pointing out that completed Vessels traditionally had a much different destiny.

The surprised Adversary asked what destiny he was referring to, to which Hundun began scanning them in order to find the answer himself. Upon finishing, Hundun was shocked to find that they were an Adversary who had gotten off the path while maintaining their ego, causing him to wonder whether that was even possible. Oz noted that Hundun seemed to know quite a lot, to which Brighton asked Tai Yu whether he had anything to say about it. Tai Yu explained that as Hundun had been conscious and powering Odium since the end of the Ancient Gods' time, he had likely assimilated all the knowledge left in Odium, adding that he might even know secrets that only the elders knew. Hundun noted that such knowledge was poor compensation for his lifetime of so-called service to them, adding that though he had cursed his lot for many years, if meeting the Adversary had been part of that lot, then it might have been worth it. He then told the Adversary to come closer before telling them that he would give them what Kaling and Laha had come for. He then presented a circular blue gem, which he explained was the last Godsphere in Odium. He noted that it was also what the Adversary had been after - the power to go against the gods - adding that there was no other reason for a Vessel to come to the laboratory. He explained that though its power had degraded over time, it still had the same spark, and that the elders had treasured it greatly. He then revealed that the Godsphere was what had kept his power cycling through Odium and that it was what was keeping him alive, which meant that he would die after the Adversary accepted it. As Hundun passed away, the power being supplied to Odium was cut off, causing Kaling to stop her fight with Laha, who angrily asked when the Glory Guard had arrived. Upon noticing the Adversary, she was even more furious to find that they were in possession of the Godsphere. Meanwhile, Tai Yu told the Adversary that there were people who could help restore the Godsphere in the realm of the sages. He then opened up a scroll, which created a large golden hanging scroll of a mountainside before them. Upon seeing the Adversary's amazement, Tai Yu explained that the realm of the sages, Shangri-La, wasn't normally accessible to most, as there was a spell in place that kept it from outsiders. Soon after, the Adversary awoke to the sight of Oz, Brighton, and a smiling Tai Yu. The Adversary asked if they were really inside a painting, which Tai Yu confirmed before welcoming them to Shangri-La, where the elders had imprisoned themselves.

Invasion of Shangri-La

In Shangri-La, Tai Yu amusedly noted that the Adversary still seemed to be in shock after being dragged into the realm of the sages so suddenly. However, he reminded them that they didn't have time for the Adversary to recover, as they still had quite a way to go. Oz looked around and marveled at how it seemed like they were inside a painting, with the flowers, the trees, and even the clouds looking as though they had been painted with a brush. Brighton agreed that it was beautiful, though he noted that it didn't seem natural, as everything – even down to the last flower petal – had been created by being infused with mana. He then noted that Tai Yu had mentioned earlier that the realm of the sages had been created to contain the elders. He asked who the elders were and whether they were the researchers from Odium. Oz told him that she didn't believe that the elders were researchers, as both Cosim and Hundun seemed to have been talking about them as though they were a form of higher beings. Tai Yu confirmed that Oz was right and explained that the elders weren't simply researchers, but the researchers' teachers. He then added that it was perhaps time for the world below to know the story behind Shangri-La, the elders, and the Four Symbols. After explaining the origin of Shangri-La, Tai Yu told the Glory Guard that it was now time to meet the elders in person. Brighton then noticed a large scroll and asked Tai Yu what it was, noting that the power radiating from it felt incredible. Tai Yu explained that the Four Symbols served as the barriers of Shangri-La, with the scroll being the barrier of the Symbol of Spring, the Azure Dragon. Brighton noted that the other barriers must be scrolls as well, to which Tai Yu explained that the elders were behind Winter, the innermost barrier.

He told them that he would be able to take them straight to the pavilion and asked them to come closer. Using his power, Tai Yu transported the Glory Guard straight through the barriers of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, which took them to the pavilion, a convergence of the four seasons, where the elders resided. At the pavilion, the Glory Guard met with the elders and the Four Symbols, where the elders were shocked to learn that the Adversary hadn't met their destiny of death after killing the Black Mage. The elders revealed that the will of the world had ordained that every Adversary would die after fulfilling their purpose to prevent such powerful, uncontrollable beings from creating a new age of chaos. As Darmoor had shattered the Adversary's Seal Stone, Shensung the monkey elder noted that Darmoor had saved their life in doing so. A shocked Oz realized that if Shensung's words were true, then it meant that Darmoor had deliberately chosen to destroy the Adversary's Seal Stone in order to allow them to escape their destiny. Brighton noted that it seemed quite strange, as he wondered why Darmoor hadn't chosen to kill the Adversary after destroying the Seal Stone. The elders then ordered Gaon to seal the Adversary and the World Heart in Winter, while Baekyeon was tasked with sealing Tai Yu in Autumn, and Ara was asked to expel Oz and Brighton from the realm of the sages. As Ara led them to Spring, however, Kaling and her three Perils invaded Shangri-La with the help of several traitorous elders. While Ara faced off against the invasion force, Brighton and Oz moved ahead to Summer, where they fought against the assailants alongside Shuli. However, Shuli was overwhelmed and severely wounded by the assailants, who were barely defeated by Brighton and Oz. Just then, Gaon and the Adversary arrived in Summer, where they reunited with Oz and Brighton. Brighton told Gaon that they owed him an apology, explaining that despite having promised Ara, they had failed to protect Shuli. As Gaon checked on Shuli's condition, he asked whether the attack was over. Just then, however, the Adversary sensed more enemies nearby.

Just as they began checking the scroll of Summer, darkness engulfed the realm as Taowu appeared before them. Gaon immediately recognized Taowu as one of the Perils that had gone missing. He then realized that if Taowu had managed to get past Spring and reach Summer, it meant that Ara must have fallen. Oz asked the Adversary if they would be fine, to which the Adversary reassured her that they would be, as they weren't fighting alone. Brighton agreed, noting that alongside the Glory Guard was one of the Four Symbols. After a fierce battle, the Adversary and their allies managed to defeat Taowu before proceeding to Autumn, where Shensung disappeared after kidnapping Baekyeon. After Shensung left, Brighton felt the ground tremble and noted that something was coming. Suddenly, a revived Hundun appeared, whom the Adversary immediately recognized. A shocked Oz wondered how Hundun could be alive, as he was no longer fused with the Godsphere. Brighton replied that Hundun wasn't really alive, pointing out that the Hundun standing before them wasn't the same one that they had met in Odium. After defeating Hundun, the Glory Guard faced off against Kaling and managed to defeat her, after which they returned to the pavilion. With Shangri-La's barriers fallen, Tai Yu proposed an alternate arrangement and offered to stay in Shangri-La himself, explaining that with the strength that he had gained from his travels, combined with the strength of the remaining elders, they would be able to create new barriers for Shangri-La. Brighton asked Tai Yu whether he was up to it, as Shangri-La had, from its creation, been guarded by four protectors, not one. Tai Yu laughed and explained that while his strength couldn't match that of the Black Tortoise, he could more than make up for it with a few tricks, adding that it would be quite simple with the elders' cooperation.

After Tai Yu restored Shangri-La's barriers, Weio the sheep elder decided to tell them more about the World Heart. She explained that the World Heart's power surpassed that of all the other Godspheres, and that its power had been so strong that not even the elders had been able to safely handle it. Because of this, the elders had left it behind in Odium with the intention of putting its immense power to rest. Oz then realized that it was the reason why they had created the Constables and why they had continued to run Odium's system, as it would drain the power inside the World Heart. Weio confirmed Oz's suspicions and explained that just as the elders had planned, the World Heart's power had been consumed. However, she then showed the World Heart to the Adversary, which glowed brightly with power. The Adversary noted that its power was unlike what they had first felt in Odium, to which Weio explained that it now held a portion of energy. She explained that from the beginning, the World Heart had the ability to take away the power of the gods. However, even the elders had never anticipated that a fully-drained World Heart, on top of simply taking away the power of the gods, could absorb that power and claim it as its own.

Arteria Invasion

Attack on Ereve

After resolving the crisis in Shangri-La, Tai Yu bade farewell to the Glory Guard. Oz and Brighton then thanked Tai Yu for all his help, after which Tai Yu used his powers to send them back to Maple World. The Glory Guard was teleported to the Six Path Crossway, with Brighton noting how impressed he was that Tai Yu had managed to send them back to Maple World all in one go. Just then, however, they noticed a fight happening in the distance. The Glory Guard was shocked to find Flora mercenaries attacking a squad of Cygnus Knights. After they defeated the mercenaries, the Cygnus Knights thanked them for their help before explaining that the High Flora army had invaded Maple World. At the shocked reaction of the Glory Guard, the Knights explained that though they didn't know much about the specifics, several areas of Maple World were currently under attack, and that the Cygnus Knights had been mobilized in order to fight off the invaders. Brighton asked whether Edelstein was also under attack, which the Knights confirmed. He then turned to Oz and apologized, explaining that he needed to head back home immediately, entrusting her and the Adversary with delivering their mission report to Ereve. After he left, Oz contacted Neinheart in order to report that the Glory Guard had returned to Maple World. She informed him that they had heard the news about the High Flora invasion and asked whether the Empress was safe. Neinheart noted that she seemed to be caught up about what was currently happening and asked her to return to Ereve immediately with the Adversary. As they prepared to head out, Gaon asked whether he could accompany them, as the situation seemed quite serious, to which Oz agreed, explaining that she had just been about to ask him the same thing.

Together, the three of them traveled to Ereve, where they found Neinheart and Cygnus at the command center overseeing the battle with a holographic projection of the city. The pair greeted the Glory Guard, though Neinheart was confused upon seeing Gaon. Oz introduced Gaon as a resident of Shangri-La and handed Neinheart a report that she explained contained more details. Neinheart briefly skimmed through the report, including the details on the World Heart, and noted that they seemed to have had their hands full during their mission, especially the Adversary, who had gained a new power. He then told the Adversary that they would speak more on the matter later before turning to Gaon and welcoming him to Maple World. As Oz and the Adversary had placed their trust in him, Neinheart explained that the Alliance would welcome him as a friend, though he added that now was not the time for pleasantries. Oz asked Neinheart what was happening in Maple World, to which Neinheart explained that, as they knew by now, Maple World was under attack from the High Flora army, and that the Cygnus Knights were doing everything that they could in order to stop their advance. When the Adversary asked what the situation was like, Neinheart explained that the Knights had been able to hold their defenses in each region, with the Explorers working together with the Knights in order to defend Victoria Island, and with the Resistance protecting Edelstein. He also explained that the Knights were working to minimize casualties in other regions, while Ereve was raising a defensive barrier around the newly-constructed command center. When the Adversary asked about the barrier, Neinheart told them that he had created it for just such a situation, in which the Chief Knights were away on various missions and unable to protect the Empress. He explained that four barrier stones had been placed in the north, south, east, and west regions of Ereve, with the barrier being created from all four activated stones.

Reactivating the Barrier Stones

However, Neinheart told the Adversary that he hadn't anticipated that they would need to use it so soon, to which Cygnus added that they couldn't afford to be negligent simply because their allies were on the move, as they had no idea when the enemy would attack again. She then asked Oz and the Adversary to enter the battlefield, apologizing for asking it of them so soon after they had just returned. Oz immediately obliged, noting that it was her duty, before asking where she should go. Neinheart ordered her to take charge of the Blaze Wizard squad outside and team up with Irena. Just then, however, the battleship Arteria descended on Maple World and used its heavy cannons to break down the barrier shield around Ereve. With the Flora army invading Ereve, Oz and Irena were directed to keep the Flora footsoldiers at bay. Neinheart explained that the barrier surrounding Ereve had been destroyed, and that the enemy had invaded the island. He told them that the situation was dire, as their main forces in Ereve consisted only of Irena, Oz, and the Adversary, with Oz explaining that both Mihile and Hawkeye were in Grandis, and Eckhart - who was still fighting at the frontlines - likely wouldn't be returning from his battle for some time. Oz then explained that something was bothering her, as it felt like too much of a coincidence that the High Flora would launch such a massive attack on Ereve when almost all the Chief Knights were away. Neinheart agreed and realized that the enemy had made a feint attack, with the High Flora soldiers being bait to split up the Cygnus Knights' forces and reduce Ereve's manpower, causing the Adversary to realize that it meant that Ereve had been the High Flora's objective from the beginning.

Cygnus asked Neinheart what the status of all the Knights sent elsewhere was, to which he explained that he had received a report that most of the Flora soldiers had been defeated. However, Cygnus realized that as long as the enemy hadn't been completely wiped out, they couldn't risk recalling the Knights back to Ereve and leaving the rest of Maple World undefended. Though Irena protested that it would leave her in danger, Cygnus replied that it was only for a short time until the Knights could be recalled, adding that if they could withstand the High Flora invasion, it would be their victory. Neinheart then realized that once their forces returned, they would be able to launch an attack on Arteria and seize the battleship. He decided that they would follow Cygnus' orders, emphasizing that in the meantime, they needed to be prepared to make any sacrifice necessary to hold their ground. The Adversary asked Neinheart what they should do first, to which he explained that the enemy barrage had stopped temporarily after their initial attack, which meant that they needed to repair the barrier around Ereve before the bombardment resumed. As all four barrier stones had been deactivated, and with the High Flora likely having figured out the barrier's structure, Neinheart realized that the enemy would likely have been stationed around all four stones. He then dispatched Irena to take back the northern and western barrier stones, while Oz handled the southern and eastern areas. He also asked the Adversary to help Irena first, and to reinforce Oz right after.

In the east, Oz and her forces pushed through the enemy line, where she began preparing to reactivate the stone, hoping that it would give Irena and the Adversary enough support to push through with reinforcements. As she began preparing to activate the stone, a Cygnus Knight urged Oz to get out of the way, as the enemy was preparing to bombard them. However, Oz refused to move, believing that she could reactivate the barrier stone before the bombardment, emphasizing that it was critical that she succeed for everyone's safety. Just as she was about to finish activating the barrier stone, however, the enemy bombarded the area, shattering the stone, killing many Knights, and critically wounding Oz. From the air, Lystor flew down with his wings and noted that Oz was still alive. Using his sword, he casually slashed through the last Cygnus Knight still standing with Oz before ordering the Flora army to wipe out any survivors. As Oz struggled to stand, Lystor noted that the will of the Cygnus Knights, whom he called the pillar of the Alliance, was quite impressive if their members could still fight while on their deathbed. In her weakened state, Oz ordered him to get back, to which Lystor scoffed and asked her what she could possibly do to stop him while she was so severely injured. He told her that though he didn't enjoy fighting someone who could barely hold their weapon, his work was another story. Just then, the Adversary rushed in and attacked Lystor, who immediately teleported back.

Noting that reinforcements had arrived, Lystor mockingly told Oz that it was her lucky day. He then addressed his soldiers and told them that the situation was still under their control before ordering them to advance as planned. Turning to one of his officers, he told them that they could use as many mercenaries as needed, though he warned them not to let Reina's plan fail at any cost. After he walked away, Oz noted that there were too many soldiers. Gaon reassured her that he would fend them off and asked her to call for backup in the meantime. While Gaon held off the enemy, Oz contacted Neinheart, who asked her whether she was alright before explaining that he had already sent the Adversary to join her. The Adversary reported in and told him that they had already joined with Oz, and that Irena would follow as soon as she reactivated the western barrier stone. In pain, Oz weakly told Neinheart that she hadn't been able to protect the eastern barrier stone, and that they needed a change of plans, as their frontlines had been thrown in disarray by the enemy. Upon hearing how weak Oz's voice was, Cygnus realized that she was badly hurt, though Oz reassured the Empress that she was fine. Neinheart asked Oz not to push herself and added that Irena had just reactivated the western barrier stone and that she would soon arrive. However, Oz replied that they wouldn't be able to hold out, as the Flora soldiers were flooding in. Though disturbed by their precarious situation, Cygnus told the Adversary that she was glad that they were by Oz's side and asked them to protect her, despite how hopeless the situation seemed.

Pushing Back the Flora

As the Adversary held off the Flora soldiers, Lystor contacted Reina and informed her that the structure of the barrier was just as they had anticipated, and with one of the barrier stones destroyed and the other three activated, the enemy had been gathered into one place, just as she had anticipated, to which Reina congratulated Lystor for his good work. Meanwhile, as the Adversary and their allies struggled to repel the enemy, Oz noticed that the western barrier stone had been activated, which meant that Irena and her forces would soon arrive, and so they needed to hold out just a bit longer. She thanked the Adversary and Gaon for helping them reorganize their forces, to which Gaon noted that they had managed to break the enemy's momentum before asking whether they should push ahead. Oz asked them not to push themselves too hard, as she didn't want them to get hurt. She also added that there was something else that she was suspicious of, and that though she hoped that she was wrong, she asked them not to push so far ahead that they wouldn't be able to quickly retreat. As the battle continued, Lystor noted to himself that their forces were struggling much more than he had anticipated before, wondering whether there was a variable that they had overlooked. Just then, a High Flora officer reported in to Lystor and informed him that the state of their frontlines wasn't looking good, as the Alliance had a monster who was tearing through their forces. Realizing that the Adversary had entered the field, Lystor told the officer to merely keep them restrained, reminding them that their objective wasn't to catch a monster. He then added that in just a short while, the next phase of their operation would begin.

Just then, Irena and her Wind Archer reinforcements arrived on the scene after lighting the western barrier stone. Oz then pointed out Lystor to Irena and told her that they needed to defeat him, as he was the one commanding the enemy's forces. As the Knights pushed forward, Lystor approached the group and noted that the Adversary really was a monster to have pushed their forces so far. However, he then laughed that the mercenaries had also earned their pay as well, having managed to stall them for so long. Suddenly, an overwhelming wave of icy magic was unleashed by Reina, who arrived on the scene and froze both the Adversary and all of their allies in ice. Reina asked Lystor whether she had kept him waiting, noting that he had done well, as keeping the enemy restrained was no easy task. She explained that thanks to his actions, she had been able to conserve her strength so that she could easily wipe them all out at once. Lystor accepted her gratitude and replied that it was the least that he could do. Noting that there ought to be no more disruptions, Reina ordered Lystor to kill all the Alliance members frozen in ice while she headed towards her objective. As Reina left, the Adversary and their allies struggled to break free from her ice, which remained sturdy with her powerful magic. Suddenly, they noticed which way Reina was headed and immediately realized that Empress Cygnus was in danger.

Some time later, Lystor ordered his soldiers to wipe out the enemy, telling them not to waste the opportunity that Reina had given them. Before they could attack, however, the Adversary and their allies used all their might to break free from the ice. Oz then asked the Adversary and Gaon to head to the command center while she and Irena held off the Flora army. After the pair headed off, Irena asked Oz whether she could fight, to which Oz replied that she would be fine. However, Irena noted that Oz was badly hurt and asked her if she truly would be alright. Oz laughed that she couldn't fool her, though she told Irena not to worry about her, as she was still one of the Chief Knights who protected the Empress, for whose sake she would risk her life to keep Ereve safe. Irena then declared that just as Oz protected Ereve, she would protect Oz. The two then stood together, vowing to survive and see the Empress again. However, Oz and Irena were quickly overwhelmed with the sheer number of enemies, with Irena struggling to defend Oz, who had lost all her strength due to her injuries and from expending all her mana. As Oz began to lose consciousness, Irena began to panic about how she could save everyone with the High Flora soldiers surrounding them. Suddenly, the sound of flapping wings was heard from above, with a large shadow passing over them from the sky. As it did, a powerful magic formed a shield around all the Cygnus Knights in the area, healing Oz's injuries. Oz immediately recognized that the energy belonged to Shinsoo, while Irena rallied the Knights with the knowledge that Shinsoo had returned to them. Just then, Eckhart and his reinforcements arrived on the scene and began driving back the High Flora, with the reinforcements working to push back the Flora army and rescue Cygnus, who had been kidnapped by Reina. Despite their efforts, however, Cygnus's Transcendent powers were drained and the Empress was mortally wounded while protecting the Adversary, forcing her into a coma.

Mihile's Return

Soon after the Arteria invasion, Oz reached out to the Adversary and asked them for their help. She explained that Mihile would soon be returning from his mission, and that she needed them to help break the news to him about the Empress. The Adversary noted that it would be a big shock to Mihile, which Oz explained was why she and Neinheart were worried about how he would take it. Because of this, Oz asked the Adversary to stay at Mihile's side while he processed everything. After Mihile returned, the Adversary brought him to see the comatose Empress at Shinsoo's Refuge in Leafre and told him about Reina's attack. Soon after, the Adversary and Mihile returned to Ereve, where Oz was relieved to see them both safe. She explained that everyone had been worried after they had disappeared so suddenly. When Mihile remained silent, the Adversary quickly explained that they had gone to see the Empress. Upon seeing how distressed Mihile was, Oz asked him not to shoulder all the burden himself, reminding him that they were Knights and that they were stronger together. She then asked him to tell her when things were hard, if he felt that they were hard, and to ask her for help if he felt like he needed help. She added that she knew that he was the type of person to shoulder burdens alone, but she explained that she, Neinheart, Irena, and everyone else sincerely cared about him, to which Mihile gave both her and the Adversary a heartfelt thanks for everything that they had done for him.

Emergency Alliance Meeting

Alongside the other Chief Knights, Oz attended the emergency Alliance meeting following the Arteria invasion. There, Neinheart proposed his plan for the Alliance's counterattack against the High Flora. Following a distress call from the Ancient God Keira, Oz and the rest of the Alliance leaders moved to send the Glory Guard to Carcion.

Story (FriendStory)

Oz's Friends World counterpart is the president of the school's Book Club. She is often seen with Irena despite being different year levels.

Cygnus and the New Kid

After Elwin inadvertently opened a portal between Maple World and Friends World, a traveler from Maple World agreed to switch places with a transfer student who had stumbled into Maple World and wished to explore their new surroundings. In Shinsoo International School, the traveler accompanied Cygnus around the city, where they encountered Oz and Irena at a food truck. Oz asked Cygnus if she could pay for them, as they had forgotten their wallets. However, the vendor refused to accept the check that Cygnus wrote, and so the traveler decided to pay for everyone. Oz and Irena thanked them and gave them their numbers, promising to pay them back. Oz recommended that they check out a tarot card reader on the other side of the overpass. The next day, Cygnus met with Oz and Irena for lunch when a bully - who was another transfer student - arrived to flirt with Cygnus. Irritated, Irena pummeled the bully and warned him to watch himself before all three of them left. Just then, Areda arrived and berated her son for his ineptitude. She then decided to handle the situation herself. After school, Cygnus met with Neinheart and told him that she had overheard a rumor that she had kissed someone with crazy hair, whom she interpreted to be the traveler, though she was confused why anyone would describe the traveler as having crazy hair. Neinheart promised to investigate the matter and called the traveler, asking them to meet him on the school roof. There, they found Neinheart with Irena, Hawkeye, Mihile, Eckhart, and Oz. Neinheart explained the rumor to them and said that though they all agreed that the rumor referred to the bully, he doubted that the bully was clever enough to have started it, which made him suspect that someone was trying to discredit Cygnus. Oz and the others worked with Neinheart and the traveler to discover that Areda was responsible for trying to ruin Cygnus's reputation.

Orchid and the Stalker

After Francis left his confession of love for Orchid to find, Orchid - a successful teen pop star - arrived and found the love letter, though she ordered her manager to deal with it. As he left with the letter, Orchid suddenly changed her mind and asked him to bring it back. Upon reading it, she was shocked to find that it sounded like a stalker's note. Soon after, Neinheart called the traveler and asked them to meet him in Cygnus's office. There, he told them that a stalker had placed a threatening letter on Orchid's desk. The traveler recognized Orchid as being with the Black Wings, and Neinheart confirmed that she was indeed signed by Black Wings Entertainment. Though he conceded that she had a terrible attitude, he nevertheless asked them to recover the letter. After obtaining it, they brought it back, and everyone agreed that it was clearly a threatening letter. Oz asked them to find a fingerprinting kit in the science lab, where they encountered Elwin in dog form. Elwin told them that they would need Aluminum Dust and a Brush, which they could obtain from the Motes. With all the pieces of the kit obtained, Oz told them to give her time to find the culprit. The traveler went back to the first-year classroom, where they told Francis about the threatening letter that Orchid had received.

Some time later, the traveler met with Francis, who had fainted after being sweated out as the stalker. In the infirmary, Francis began telling the traveler about why he had fallen in love with Orchid. He compared himself to the Greek mythological figure, Pygmalion, whose only love was a statue, just as he himself only loved his figurines. However, he explained that he had fallen in love with Orchid one day when he had found her standing in the rain. As he finished recounting, Oz and Irena arrived and told Francis how cringeworthy his story was. Soon after, Oz and Irena watched Francis confess his love to Orchid, only to be brutally rejected. After Francis passed out from his emotions creating a Forever Alone Troublemaker, Oz and Irena took him to the school infirmary and called the traveler to come see him. There, everyone began consoling him, though Francis refused to give up and resolved to find the right way to approach Orchid. Everyone was impressed by his dedication until he revealed his Orchid doll. He explained that he had realized that he had put Orchid on a pedestal instead of treating her like an actual person, and so he had decided that he would practice talking to the doll in order to get better at talking to her.

Cassandra's Tales of Totally Shocking Stuff

After Neinheart explained that Cassandra had been spreading rumors about ghosts, he asked the traveler to talk to her about it. Upon arriving in the classroom, Cassandra told them that she felt a strange aura coming from them and declared that they weren't from this world. She then laughed and explained that she was only joking before asking if they had come to hear a scary story. As she never repeated the same story twice, she told them to ask Oz about her most recent one, as Oz had heard the whole thing. Oz told them about the ghost of the music room and asked them to investigate what was really going on. They went to the music room, where they met Elwin in dog form, who told them that it was probably the Motes. The traveler then found suspicious recorders and piano music on the Motes. They returned to Oz and told her that it was just a prank, which she was relieved to hear. The next day, Cygnus called the traveler and told them about what had happened to Neinheart. They both went to the infirmary, where Nurse Hilla told them that his only injuries were a stubbed toe from when a book had hit it. Neinheart suspected that Cassandra was behind the incident and asked the traveler to investigate in his place. In the classroom, they found Cassandra telling a new story about the secret of Shinsoo International School's Old Building. She explained that even though the building was off-limits, it was easy to break into. A student had once been dared to touch the front gate when they had heard a voice saying, “It hurts… Go away…” The voice had driven him mad, and all he could think about was escape. When he had come back home, he had taken his shoes off and had found that they were covered in sticky blood.

One of the students in the crowd then shared that they had heard a rumor that the school had been built on an old graveyard without permission. Oz then asked the traveler to check out the old building for themselves. There, they found Lily and Elwin, who told them that more Motes had gathered around the old building. After defeating the Motes, they found large ketchup bottles and realized that it was yet another trick. Just then, Ericsson the security guard arrived and chased them off. The traveler then went to see Oz and told her that it was yet another prank. Oz confronted Cassandra about spreading false stories, though Cassandra kept claiming that she was only saying what she had heard. Angry at the way that Oz had spoken to her, Cassandra vowed to teach her a lesson. That night, Oz found that the lights didn't work in the science lab, just as the room caught on fire. The next day, Cygnus called the traveler and told them about what had happened to Oz. They went to the infirmary, where Hilla told them that only the tip of Oz's hair had been burned off. Cygnus wondered whether Cassandra had hexed Oz and Neinheart, but both Oz and Neinheart refused to believe it. Oz then asked the traveler to expose Cassandra for the fraud she was.

Students in Crisis

Oz and Irena visited Hugh Head the tailor, who told them how there had once been a boy who had attended Shinsoo International School years ago, and that he had been so handsome that every boy around him had turned into a squid in comparison. However, Oz and Irena told him that his story was ridiculous, though Hugh stuck with it and explained that the handsome student was getting a degree in education in order to become a teacher. Irena told him that she wanted to see that student in person, as she couldn't believe that anyone was really that attractive. Just then, Cygnus came into the store. After hearing the story of the handsome student, she confirmed that he was real, and that he was joining the faculty soon as a student teacher.

After the White Mage disappeared from Shinsoo International School, Hugh told Oz and Irena that the handsome student had black hair and tanned skin, confusing the girls. Just then, Blackbull walked into the stop, and Hugh introduced him to them as the handsome student who was to begin his student teaching. Cygnus and Neinheart then walked in and told Oz and Irena that when they had contacted the White Mage's university for his credentials, they had been told that there was no such student who had ever been enrolled there. Neinheart also told them that he had found all the letters and flowers that the students had given to the White Mage in the trash.

Damien and the Spirit of Rock

After special Motes formed from the power of rock and roll appeared and began infecting the students, the traveler fought the Motes to the roof, where they encountered Oz, Hawkeye, and Eckhart. Just then, Damien and his band revealed themselves atop a makeshift stage made up of stacked-up desks. The traveler and Damien then engaged in a rock battle, though Damien's sound overpowered theirs. Damien revealed that they were using the school as a stepping stone in order to move on to bigger heights. Just then, Irena appeared and claimed that Damien's band was weak, vowing that she would decimate them. She and Damien then made a bet that the losers would have to moon the entire school. The next day, Oz called the traveler and told them to come for practice on the school roof. While determining which song to perform, Irena asked them to collect music sheets from the music room so that they could practice each song. Over the next month, Oz practiced with Irena and the others and defeated Damien in the battle of the bands.

NPC

Ereve

Oz
Function	The Chief Knight of Fire
Quests involved	[Cygnus Knights] The Path of a Blaze Wizard [Cygnus Knights] After the Edelstein Mission [Blaze Wizard] [Cygnus Knights] Blaze Wizard Knighthood Exam [Theme Dungeon] Ellinel Fairy Academy [Blaze Wizard] [Cygnus Knights] Proof of Faith [Blaze Wizard] [Explorer] Power of the Spirit of Fire [Explorer] Power of the Spirit of Fire [Explorer] Power of the Spirit of Fire [Explorer] Power of the Spirit of Fire [Explorer] Power of the Spirit of Fire [Cygnus Knights] A New Chief Knight [Blaze Wizard] Trails of the Flame Trails of the Lightning
Location	Ereve

Phantom Tutorial

Oz
Function	Chief Knight
Location	Ereve Grand Pavilion

Six Path Crossway

Oz
Location	Six Path Crossway

Grand Athenaeum

Calcified Empress (The Black Witch)

Oz
Location	Calcified Empress

Karote

Summit

Oz
Location	Summit

Odium

Road to the Castle's Gate 5

Oz
Location	Road to the Castle's Gate 5

Road to the Castle's Gate 3

Oz
Location	Road to the Castle's Gate 3

Road to the Castle's Gate 1

Oz
Location	Road to the Castle's Gate 1

General Area by the Castle's Gate

Oz
Location	General Area by the Castle's Gate

Residential District

Oz
Location	Residential District

Captured Alley 1

Oz
Location	Captured Alley 1

Awakened Laboratory

Oz
Location	Awakened Laboratory

The Wellspring

Oz
Location	The Wellspring

Shangri-La

Plum Blossom-Scented Spring

Oz
Location	Plum Blossom-Scented Spring

Orchid Leaf-Green Summer

Oz
Location	Orchid Leaf-Green Summer

Chrysanthemum-Blooming Autumn

Oz
Location	Chrysanthemum-Blooming Autumn

Sinners' Paradise

Oz
Location	Sinners' Paradise

Four Seasons Pavilion

Oz
Location	Four Seasons Pavilion

Arteria

Operations Center

Oz
Location	Operations Center

Eastern Outskirts

Oz
Location	Eastern Outskirts

Shinsoo International School

School Roof

Oz
Function	Book Club President
Location	School Roof

Oz
Location	School Roof

Cygnus's Office

Oz
Function	Book Club President
Location	Cygnus's Office

Second Floor Classroom

Oz
Function	Book Club President
Location	Second Floor Classroom

School Infirmary

Oz
Function	Book Club President
Location	School Infirmary

City Center

Oz
Function	Book Club President
Location	City Center

Auditorium

Oz
Location	None

Gallery

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  NPC Sprite of Oz (Water Wars Event)
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  Artwork of Oz (Ignition)
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  Concept Art of Oz
• 
  NPC Portrait of Oz (2022 - present)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Oz (2022 - present)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Oz (2022 - present)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Oz (2022 - present)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Oz (2022 - present)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Oz (2022 - present)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Oz (Karote storyline)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Oz (Karote storyline)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Oz (Karote storyline)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Oz (FriendStory)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Oz (FriendStory)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Oz (FriendStory)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Oz (FriendStory)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Oz (FriendStory)

Trivia

• Oz's blood type is O, which is mentioned in the Korean version of FriendStory.