Kino and Hermes meet a young man who planned to move to the country that lay up ahead, but according to him, murder isn't prohibited by law there, and a vicious criminal has escaped to that land.

Kino arrives in a country known for many wonders, but expectations clash with brutal changes made after the transition to a new king -- including a tournament where combatants fight to the death.

Kino naps in his hammock when the ground begins to shake; a huge, ashen country wall appears.

Shizu and Riku arrive in the Ship Country; it sails from continent to continent.

After receiving permission to stay in a country for three days, Kino and Hermes encounter a man waiting for his lover's return; after parting ways with him, the town's residents welcome Kino and surprising truths come to light.

A group of travelling merchants sets camp high up in a tall mountain range; as the merchants prepare their dinner, they make a fatal error that only their young, mistreated slave girl notices.