You know how it is: show up, destroy a band of necromancers, defeat the boss, and go home to blow your winnings at the gacha spinner. Too bad Ray never has it so easy, and this time, the boss left behind a trap turning the local bandits into a gigantic, gruesome, grudge-powered gross-out monster - with his own soul at the center. Can Ray figure out how to take it out on his own? And wait, why's there a flashback?! Watch out for that truck!

In a world of infinite possibilities, how would you choose to live?

"First published in Japan in 2018 by Hobby Japan, Tokyo."--Colophon.

After an unexpectedly challenging journey, Ray and his party finally arrive at Gideon, The City of Duels. The mere sight of the towering arenas and thriving fantasy townscapes is enough to instantly awe and enchant him. However -- like anything that stands tall and proud -- the city cast a great, dark shadow. The name of this shadow is the Gouz-Maise gang -- a loathsome band of cutthroats who turn their profit kidnapping children and demanding ransom. Ray, wide-eyed and innocent, was blissfully unaware of just how cruel the hyper-realistic world of Infinite Dendrogram would become.

An AI looks into the past, at an event long before Ray Starling set foot in the world of Infinite Dendrogram. The unstoppable Tri-Zenith Dragon emerges from the mountains. It is a bringer of death, wielding a miasma of desolation in its wake. The citizens of Altar can do nothing but watch as doom descends upon them. However... There are three who may be up to the challenge. Three Masters who, if they managed to work as one, could stop the imminent desolation of the land they call home. But with so much glory to gain, what could they stand to lose?

The City of Duels is Heating Up! A challenger from Huang He comes to duel Figaro, the local legend. As luck would have it, Ray just so happens to have a front-row seat! Both of these Masters wield powerful Superior Embryos and have no intention of losing. Who will be left standing at the end of this ferocious encounter? As the duel comes to a close, a shadow looms over the city of Gideon. Mr. Franklin, the Giga Professor from the Dryfe Imperium, makes his terrifying debut! The sadistic scientist sets his sights on throwing the city into utter chaos. Unfortunately for him, Ray, Marie, and Rook aren't about to go down without a fight! Outmatched, outnumbered, and outsmarted, the knights and Masters of the Kingdom of Altar swiftly prepare to retaliate. Will their fighting spirit be enough to defeat this mastermind?

The trouble with full-on MMO's is that there's always some overpowered nutcases who can show up and wreck things. It seems like Infinite Dendrogram is no different, with a set of four in the Kingdom of Altar alone! Having previously been PK'ed out of the game, Ray continues his quest to level up and press ahead, But in the background, political maneuverings cause the game's top players to make their presence known.

In the year 2043, Infinite Dendrogram, the world's first successful full-dive VRMMO was released. In addition to its ability to perfectly simulate the five senses, along with its many other amazing features, the game promised to offer players a world full of infinite possibilities. Nearly two years later, soon-to-be college freshman, Reiji Mukudori, is finally able to buy a copy of the game and start playing. With some help from his experienced older brother, Shu, and his partner Embryo, Reiji embarks on an adventure into the world of Infinite Dendrogram. Just what will he discover and encounter in this game world known for its incredible realism and infinite possibilities?

Things are heating up in the City of Duels! A challenger comes from the eastern nation of Huang He to duel Figaro, the local legend. Naturally the city decides to make a spectacle of it, and Ray just so happens to have front row seats! Both of these Masters wield powerful Superior Embryos, and both intend to give their all to fight, make merry and emerge victorious! Just who will be left standing by the end of their ferocious encounter?

Thanks to Ray and his allies, the chaos in the city of duels is gradually abating. However, Giga Professor Franklin is far too obsessed with victory to let it end so easily... "Plan C!" he cries, as he plays yet another ace up his sleeve. But as Franklin stands proud, watching Gideon -- and the kingdom with it -- face utter destruction, a certain man moves out to show the Giga Professor the true meaning of the word.