Chapter Summaries

Cornelia persuaded Charles to keep Lelouch in Area 19 as Deputy Governor for a one-month trial, and Xiao Ran warned her not to obstruct his plans. He agreed to help stabilize the region and spare her from acting against her family, then revealed that Charles’s true purpose could destroy the world.

• Cornelia argued that Area 19 needed Lelouch’s strength and leadership, and Charles appointed him Deputy Governor while giving Cornelia one month to show results.
• Cornelia summoned Xiao Ran and told him Charles had ordered him to remain in Area 19; Xiao Ran correctly guessed his new position and warned her not to delay his plans.
• Xiao Ran said he could seize the Empire’s capital and rebuild the Empire, while Cornelia pleaded not to be made to act against her family herself.
• Xiao Ran promised to help stabilize Area 19 and the border regions, and assured Cornelia he would not threaten Charles’s life unless Charles brought it upon himself.
• Xiao Ran told Cornelia that Charles intended to become a god or slay one, a goal that could cause the world to collapse.

Xiao Ran warned Cornelia that Charles treated even his family as tools, then visited the injured Monica but found she would not wake until the next day. He examined Area 19’s battlefield intelligence and concluded the Rebel Army was the immediate threat, while the EU legion could become far more dangerous if it gained control of the EU.

• Xiao Ran told Cornelia that Charles would discard Nanalie and anyone else who became an obstacle, and Cornelia promised to keep her word.
• Xiao Ran visited Monica in the military hospital and learned that she had broken ribs and a fractured arm but was expected to recover.
• Xiao Ran contacted Sakuya, Lelouch, Euphemia, and Lloyd and learned that Area 11 remained stable.
• Xiao Ran reviewed Area 19’s reports and battlefield videos, finding that both enemy legions fielded forces capable of overwhelming the Crimson Knights stationed there.
• Xiao Ran judged the Rebel Army legion to be the immediate danger because it could deploy its full strength locally, while the EU legion might be focused on seizing control of the EU.

Xiao Ran reviewed Area 19’s situation and proposed a rapid, large-scale campaign to destroy the Rebel Army and weaken the EU before its forces could fully turn their attention toward Britannia. He told Cornelia that the Empire’s survival depended on swift action and on confronting Charles, leaving her to prepare for war within days.

• Cornelia learned that Xiao Ran had spent the morning studying Area 19’s military reports and arranged for him to receive an assistant.
• Xiao Ran told Cornelia that Area 19 lacked the high-end forces needed to act until the Crimson Knights’ reinforcements arrived.
• Xiao Ran proposed mobilizing Area 19 to eliminate the Rebel Army and weaken the EU, aiming to achieve the strategic objective within half a month.
• Cornelia questioned whether Area 19 could prepare for a full-scale campaign, and Xiao Ran insisted she complete preparations within a few days.
• Xiao Ran explained that the Empire’s crisis stemmed from Charles and warned Cornelia that he could leave Britannia with the Crimson Knights if she rejected his methods.

Xiao Ran pressed Cornelia to support his plans for Britannia, then visited the wounded Monica and offered to train her after she recovered. As he took command of Area 19 and awaited Crimson Knights reinforcements, he ordered Cornelia to gather Sakura Stone and help transport a larger supply from Area 11.

• Xiao Ran told Cornelia that he would take control of Britannia with the Crimson Knights if she continued to obstruct him, and she accepted that she could no longer delay his plans.
• Cornelia and Xiao Ran visited Monica in the hospital, where Cornelia told her that Lelouch had become Area 19’s Deputy Governor and would command its military.
• Monica described how the enemy had outmatched her in battle, and Xiao Ran reassured her and offered to train her after she recovered.
• Xiao Ran told Cornelia that he would take over all command in Area 19, then ordered her to gather local Sakura Stone and arrange a larger shipment from Area 11 within two days.

Xiao Ran prepared Area 19 for a major offensive and persuaded Koji to bring the Crimson Knights’ strongest forces by promising them a large supply of Sakura Stone. He then warned Lelouch to prepare for an accelerated campaign before a major change in the EU.

• Xiao Ran secured Cornelia’s cooperation in gathering Sakura Stone from Area 19 and arranging more from Area 11.
• Xiao Ran drafted an operational plan for Area 19’s soldiers to support the coming offensive and secure captured strongholds.
• Xiao Ran asked Koji to send genuine combat forces to Area 19 and promised the Crimson Knights nearly all available Sakura Stone, plus a larger future supply.
• Koji agreed to personally lead the Crimson Knights’ strongest forces to Area 19 after Xiao Ran promised them thirty percent of the Sakura Stone produced in Area 11 after Charles was overthrown.
• Xiao Ran told Lelouch that a major change in the EU was approaching and urged him to prepare to eliminate the EU’s military strength in Area 19 with Cornelia’s cooperation.

Xiao Ran welcomed Koji to Area 19 and arranged for the Crimson Knights to retain their independent organization as the campaign’s main force. After Cornelia joined them, Xiao Ran explained that the Crimson Knights’ support would help Lelouch and began outlining the battle plan, leaving the operation’s details to be discussed.

• Koji arrived in Area 19 ahead of the Sakura Stone shipments, hoping to discuss the battle plan and arrange for the Crimson Knights’ main force to follow.
• Xiao Ran told Koji that the Sakura Stones were not ready yet and promised the Crimson Knights a separate base and independent combat organization.
• Cornelia met Koji, and Xiao Ran explained that the Area 19 campaign would support Lelouch rather than Charles.
• Koji pledged that the Crimson Knights would send their strongest forces, while Cornelia realized that they had chosen Lelouch’s side.
• Xiao Ran showed Cornelia and Koji the battle map and explained that the enemy held the advantage along the current defensive line, which needed to be breached or destroyed.

Xiao Ran laid out a plan to defeat the EU and Rebel Army, then offered the Crimson Knights Area 19’s main base as bait for an ambush. Korg agreed to the risks but debated whether to give Xiao Ran a stronger mecha, ending by asking what kind of machine could match his abilities.

• Xiao Ran identified enemy supply routes and strongholds, explaining that the EU’s stretched forces and the Rebel Army’s reliance on the Mysterious Organization shaped the campaign plan.
• Xiao Ran assigned the Crimson Knights to pressure the EU while he led Cornelia’s Guard Force and some of Korg’s people against the Rebel Army, with a later plan to flank the EU.
• Korg warned that the strategy would create enormous battle pressure, and Xiao Ran promised Area 19 and Area 11’s resources, including more Sakura Stone.
• Xiao Ran told Cornelia to move Area 19’s forces and supplies forward and hand the main base over to the Crimson Knights as bait for an enemy ambush.
• Korg weighed whether to lend Xiao Ran a powerful mecha, then asked what level of performance Xiao Ran needed to show his full strength.

Xiao Ran persuaded Koji to provide him with a more powerful mecha and helped the Crimson Knights prepare for a campaign in Area 19. As both sides concealed their true plans and moved forces into position, Xiao Ran returned to the abandoned main base at Koji’s invitation, with the preparations for war complete.

• Xiao Ran explained why he needed a stronger mecha, and Koji agreed to provide one in exchange for Sakura Stone beyond their existing arrangement.
• Xiao Ran, Koji, and Cornelia discussed their plans, while the Crimson Knights began taking over Area 19’s main base and military forces mobilized.
• The EU and Rebel Army misread Area 19’s movements as preparations for a defensive stand or counterattack and increased pressure on its front lines.
• Koji received vast quantities of Sakura Stone from Areas 19 and 11, which the Crimson Knights used to unseal and summon powerful mecha in secret.
• The Crimson Knights moved their main force into Area 19, relocated the Command Center without public knowledge, and completed their preparations while tensions at the front temporarily eased.
• At Koji’s invitation, Xiao Ran returned to the abandoned main base, which had been left as bait.

Xiao Ran inspected the Crimson Knights’ modified Mazinger Kaiser SKL and arranged to use it in the coming offensive. He set the attack for the following dawn and left Korgi searching for information about Gaia after hinting that he could explain it.

• Xiao Ran arrived at the base, recognized the blood-red Mazinger Kaiser SKL, and confirmed it had been modified with Soul Reaver capabilities.
• Korgi described the unit’s weapons and agreed to transport it to the new Command Center while preparing its files for Xiao Ran.
• Xiao Ran decided the allies would strike first at dawn, and Korgi confirmed the Crimson Knights could field more than two hundred combat-ready pilots along with their stronger units.
• Xiao Ran urged caution, departed for the airport, and told Korgi that the world had a collective entity called Gaia.
• Korgi ordered Toray to gather information about Gaia after Xiao Ran left.

Xiao Ran prepared Mazinger Kaiser SKL and took command of Area 19’s front-line forces as the planned assault approached. After adjusting the unit and issuing new orders, he launched into the sky as the first phase of the operation began.

• Cornelia helped oversee the unloading of the concealed Mazinger Kaiser SKL, and Xiao Ran inspected its cockpit and the file Kogi had provided.
• Xiao Ran reviewed the unit’s altered capabilities and prepared to rewrite its systems before completing its combat preparations.
• At the Command Center, Cornelia briefed Xiao Ran on the deployment plan, and he later returned to his quarters to rest until dawn.
• Xiao Ran took front-line Command Authority from Cornelia, studied the tactical map, and issued revised orders to the forces and Kogi.
• Xiao Ran piloted Mazinger Kaiser SKL out of the warehouse and into the sky as he transmitted the order to begin the first phase of the operation.

Xiao Ran launched a solo assault on the Rebel Army’s defensive stronghold in Mazinger Kaiser, while Cornelia secretly sent five B-class Pilots to support him. He evaded the rebels’ heavy defenses, announced his identity, and began his attack after the enemy refused to surrender.

• Cornelia arranged for five B-class Pilots to follow Xiao Ran and rescue him if he encountered danger.
• Xiao Ran flew Mazinger Kaiser toward the Rebel Army’s stronghold, drawing the rebels’ attention and triggering an emergency response.
• The Rebel Army assembled its Participants and unleashed a dense barrage of anti-air fire, but Xiao Ran calmly evaded it.
• Xiao Ran identified himself as Lelouch Xiao, Second Knight of the Round, and ordered the rebels to surrender.
• As the countdown ended, Xiao Ran evaded the Participants’ missiles and beam attacks with afterimages, then dove low and advanced on the stronghold while firing his pistols.

Xiao Ran drove Mazinger Kaiser toward the Rebel Army base, overwhelming its defenses before five Super Robot pilots moved to intercept him. He defended against their coordinated attacks, but their machines closed in from all sides as the Crimson Knights raced to reach him.

• Xiao Ran used Mazinger Kaiser's pistols to punch through the Rebel Army's defensive KFs and rapidly advanced toward the base.
• Five participants descended to stop Xiao Ran, deploying a defense-focused machine, two power-focused machines, a speed-focused machine, and a long-range attacker.
• The long-range machine fired beams and cluster missiles, but Xiao Ran evaded the beams and used the transformed battle axes to block the missiles' small warheads.
• The defense-focused machine extended its arms toward Mazinger Kaiser while the two power-focused machines and the speed-focused machine charged through the smoke to attack.
• The Crimson Knights saw Mazinger Kaiser surrounded and rushed forward at full speed to help Xiao Ran.

Xiao Ran piloted Mazinger Kaiser through a five-unit encirclement, destroying all five enemies before the Crimson Knights arrived. At the Rebel Army outpost, dozens of participant units surrounded his forces without attacking, while Cornelia ordered reinforcements forward and Xiao Ran recognized that her move could worsen the danger.

• Xiao Ran drove Mazinger Kaiser through the five enemies’ coordinated attack and destroyed two units in quick succession.
• Xiao Ran pursued and destroyed the remaining three units before Korgi’s support squad arrived.
• Xiao Ran sent the five Crimson Knights units to suppress the Rebel Army outpost and monitored enemy movements from above.
• Dozens of Rebel Army participant units appeared around the outpost and formed a silent encirclement, prompting the Crimson Knights to urgently contact Korgi.
• Cornelia ordered her concealed Guard Force to advance and prepared an airdrop force, but Xiao Ran saw her orders and frowned at the risk.

Xiao Ran weighed the danger posed by the enemy force surrounding the stronghold and ordered the five Crimson Knights pilots to withdraw while he probed the enemy. After learning they had requested reinforcements from Kogi, he suspected the enemy was using them as bait and warned the Crimson Knights to halt their advance.

• Xiao Ran overrode Cornelia's reinforcement order and directed the incoming Guard Force to stop and conceal themselves away from the battlefield.
• Xiao Ran assessed the enemy's numerical advantage and stayed above the stronghold as the standoff continued and its defenders were wiped out.
• Xiao Ran ordered the five Crimson Knights pilots to escape, but their captain said they would stay and help hold off the enemy because they had special escape measures.
• Xiao Ran learned that the five had requested support from Kogi and suspected the enemy was waiting to ambush the reinforcements.
• Xiao Ran ordered the five to stop the reinforcements, tell Kogi to follow the original plan, and escape while he intercepted their pursuers.

Xiao Ran realized the Rebel Army had trapped them and blocked communications to ambush Korgi’s reinforcements, then fought to protect the Crimson Knights as they tried to escape. The Crimson Knights’ squad leader and three others fled to warn Korgi, while Xiao Ran turned back toward the encircling enemies with Quantum Assimilation active.

• The Crimson Knights’ squad leader discovered that communications were blocked after he tried to cancel the request for reinforcements, and Xiao Ran suspected a mole had informed the enemy of Korgi’s movements.
• Xiao Ran ordered the Crimson Knights to retreat and charged Mazinger Kaiser toward the enemy while the encircling forces sent fast machines after the squad.
• The squad leader and three others stopped to hold off the pursuers so one knight could escape, but Xiao Ran teleported in front of the enemy machines and destroyed them in seconds.
• Xiao Ran scolded the squad leader for doubting his promise, then ordered the four Crimson Knights to leave and stop Korgi’s reinforcements.
• Xiao Ran activated Quantum Assimilation and used his ultra-miniature GN-BITs to enhance Mazinger Kaiser as he faced the remaining enemies.

Xiao Ran saved the Crimson Knights, then used Mazinger Kaiser to overwhelm the pursuing Restoration Army forces and hold them hostage. Legion Leader Selucius arrived to negotiate, and Xiao Ran asked what price he would pay for his subordinates’ release.

• Xiao Ran helped the five-man Crimson Knights squad escape, then turned to destroy the remaining enemy units.
• Xiao Ran spread ultra-small BITs’ GN Particles across the hostile forces and used their beams to disable every machine without killing the pilots.
• Xiao Ran piled the wrecked machines together and ordered the captives to summon their ambush force and superior within an hour.
• About fifty minutes later, Selucius arrived with a large force, introduced himself as Legion Leader of the Restoration Army, and asked Xiao Ran to release his subordinates.
• Xiao Ran said the captives could leave but demanded to know what Selucius would pay in exchange.

Xiao Ran offered Selucius the choice of withdrawing the Rebel Army from the war or submitting to him, and Selucius proposed a duel to test Xiao Ran’s strength. Their mechs fought evenly at first, but Mazinger Kaiser gained the advantage, leaving Selucius facing defeat.

• Selucius negotiated with Xiao Ran for the hostages’ release, and Xiao Ran demanded that the Rebel Army either leave the war or submit to him.
• Selucius challenged Xiao Ran to a duel, wagering that the Rebel Army would surrender if Selucius lost and that Xiao Ran would leave the continent if he won.
• Xiao Ran accepted and flew Mazinger Kaiser away from the hostages to an uninhabited desert, where Selucius followed in his custom mech.
• Selucius charged with his flame-winged mech, and he and Xiao Ran traded more than thirty evenly matched clashes.
• Mazinger Kaiser erupted in red light and knocked Selucius’s mech backward as Xiao Ran declared that the battle was effectively over.

Xiao Ran defeated Selucius and secured the Rebel Army's loyalty, then reported the outcome to Kogi and Cornelia. He left the story with plans to bring Lelouch to meet Selucius and turn the Rebel Army into an ally in the struggle over Britannia.

• Xiao Ran overwhelmed Selucius in Mazinger Kaiser, battering Phoenix into the ground and demanding his surrender.
• Selucius accepted defeat and agreed that the Rebel Army would serve Xiao Ran, then contacted his former partner to end their cooperation.
• Xiao Ran ordered Selucius to gather the Rebel Army and withdraw from the front lines before departing.
• Xiao Ran reconnected with Kogi and Cornelia, explained that he had won over the entire Rebel Army, and asked Kogi to bring Lelouch to meet Selucius.

After defeating the Rebel Army and arranging for Britannia to seize its abandoned territory, Xiao Ran returned to base and told Cornelia he needed time to recover from Quantum Assimilation. He slept through her vigil, then woke to find her still handling his work and warning him not to risk leaving himself unprotected again.

• Xiao Ran told Cornelia that the Rebel Army had agreed to a wager, ordered Lelouch to negotiate cooperation, and directed Britannia’s forces to seize the abandoned territory and maintain pressure on the EU.
• Xiao Ran returned to the frontline base, handed Mazinger Kaiser over for repairs, hid its BITs, and told Cornelia he needed one or two days to recover from using Quantum Assimilation.
• Xiao Ran vanished in front of Cornelia, then reappeared in his room, released Quantum Assimilation, and collapsed from exhaustion.
• Xiao Ran slept deeply while Cornelia stayed in his room and handled official business, unaware that he had lost all awareness of his surroundings.
• Xiao Ran woke and learned Cornelia had been there for a long time; she warned him not to repeat the risk because Britannia had other people who could fight.

After recovering from using Quantum Assimilation, Xiao Ran directed Lelouch to bring the Rebel Army into the Black Knights while keeping the Crimson Knights and the new force balanced. He then returned to Area 11 with Saki Maski to inspect Lloyd’s work and discovered a Black Knights hangar built to house Variable Fighters.

• Cornelia told Xiao Ran that the Rebel Army and EU had withdrawn, and Xiao Ran ordered the Crimson Knights to halt deep-strike missions and focus on breaking through enemy defenses.
• Xiao Ran contacted Lelouch, warned him not to rely on GEASS to secure the Rebel Army’s loyalty, and told him to invite the Rebel Army into the Black Knights rather than Britannia.
• Xiao Ran explained to Lelouch that bringing the Rebel Army into the Black Knights would balance the Crimson Knights and instructed him to discuss the plan with Koki.
• Xiao Ran met Saki Maski, who retrieved his hidden small BITs, and asked her to take him back to Area 11 so he could see Lloyd’s progress.
• Saki Maski flew Xiao Ran to a coastal warehouse in Area 11, where he found a Black Knights hangar holding more than a dozen KFs.