Carl wakes after losing consciousness for about twenty-five seconds immediately after using Daughter’s Kiss. Donut tells Carl the attack worked: the enemy is breaking. Imani explains that Carl’s Soul Poisoning caused a dangerous debuff called Post Nut Clarity, and that Carl buried nearby allies in dirt while blowing apart the enemy trench. Team Retribution’s operatives have also successfully filled the middle trench and kept its illusion intact.

As Dazzlers continue landing between the captured trench and the enemy fallback line, Colonel Boomer takes command of the assault. Boomer warns the troops not to overextend, because trapped enemies fight hardest, and orders the army to make the battle look like a stalemate long enough for the larger plan to work. Elle reports another anti-air battery is down while Louis prepares Party Planner for extraction.

Carl, Donut, Mongo, and others reach Party Planner, where Carl is angry to find Bonnie aboard as a gunner and later realizes the scout Gangue is actually Skarn disguised as an adult changeling. Carl silently acknowledges that the children should not be in battle but decides there is no time to address it. Imani remains behind to heal the wounded, and Carl sends the assault group one final command to break the enemy.

Party Planner flies low and fast toward the Prism headquarters, using a path cleared by Elle’s anti-air work. During the silent flight, Carl monitors Boomer and Florin while observing Donut, who appears asleep but is not. Louis lands near the enemy castle before it can be alerted.

At the small, poorly defended Prism headquarters, Carl and Donut silently kill the three exterior guards. Carl reasons that Empress D’Nadia has been forced to commit nearly all forces to the front and lacks the officers and resources expected before the quarantine. Carl disables and steals several traps, sends Rend inside first, and confirms through the map that D’Nadia is in the throne room with only a few defenders.

Baroness Victory appears and grimly comments on the mass slaughter caused by Team Retribution’s altered-water trap: fleeing enemies jumped into an illusion-covered trench filled with acid, causing the scout responsible to gain almost twenty levels. Carl ignores the moral warning, puts on the Ring of Divine Suffering, and calls out to Empress D’Nadia, announcing that she has visitors.