Chapter Summaries

Xiao Ran used Black Astray’s concealed retrieval cable and an unexpected Beam Sword throw to destroy a DEEN piloted by a hostile participant. He accepted a mission to make Black Astray his exclusive mecha while two Baku attacked.

• Black Astray charged DEEN, and Xiao Ran threw its Beam Sword while retrieving the Beam Rifle with a concealed cable.
• DEEN’s pilot dodged the Beam Sword but was killed by Black Astray’s Beam Rifle.
• Xiao Ran received 500 Merit Points, a D-class loot reward, and increased his D-Class General Mecha Piloting Skill proficiency to 93.
• Xiao Ran confirmed converting the Astray into an exclusive mecha and accepted the C-class mission to destroy hostile mecha.
• The two Baku fired missiles and electromagnetic shells at Black Astray, and Xiao Ran changed direction, shot at the missiles, and entered free fall.

Xiao Ran struggled to defend the Black Astray while its energy dwindled, and Mu helped him survive a missile attack. The Archangel then discovered a massive ZAFT force approaching, and Xiao Ran warned the crew to watch their rear.

• Xiao Ran realized plugins and parts could be installed on ordinary mecha for Merit Points, while equipping them on his exclusive mecha would be free.
• Xiao Ran judged that destroying the required C-class and B-class mecha would be far harder than the mission’s D-class targets.
• Xiao Ran used the Black Astray’s weapons to intercept most of a missile swarm, and Mu destroyed the final missile before it hit.
• Mu asked about the Black Astray’s energy, and Xiao Ran reported that less than twenty-five percent remained.
• Xiao Ran and the Archangel crew saw two ZAFT land battleships approaching with GOUF, Baku, and DEEN units, and Xiao Ran urgently warned them to watch behind them.

Xiao Ran and the Archangel faced ZAFT forces while preparing to lure them into a trap set by Dawn Desert. As the Black Astray ran low on energy and a DEEN closed in, Kira launched the Strike Gundam and arrived just in time to strike the enemy from behind.

• Xiao Ran warned Mwu that ZAFT might have forces behind them, and Mwu ordered the Archangel to watch its rear.
• Cagalli launched Skygrasper Unit 2 despite Mwu's objections, while Dawn Desert sent a plan to trap the enemy and asked the Archangel to hold out for thirty minutes.
• Mwu learned that Kira was ready to launch the Strike Gundam with a Sky Striker Pack and attached Sword Striker weapons, then ordered the launch sequence started.
• Xiao Ran switched the Black Astray's Beam Rifle to slow charging as its energy dwindled, but his shots missed the approaching DEEN.
• Kira arrived as the DEEN fired on the Black Astray, and his red spinning beam struck the enemy from behind while Xiao Ran swung his Beam Sword.

Xiao Ran returned to the Archangel after destroying a DEEN, and Mwu Lamias came to see him while the Black Astray was repaired. The chapter ended with Mwu confessing that she liked him as the battle continued around them.

• Xiao Ran destroyed a DEEN with the Black Astray and returned to the Archangel after thanking Kira.
• Maddock ordered the crew to repair the Black Astray, whose shield and legs had been badly damaged.
• Xiao Ran learned that Luo had left the combat zone and went to the ready room to rest.
• Mwu Lamias left Bargyll in command and came to check that Xiao Ran was unharmed.
• Mwu told Xiao Ran she had worried about him and confessed that she liked him.

Mwu confessed that she liked Xiao Ran and kissed him before returning to the bridge, while the Archangel faced overwhelming ZAFT forces. After his Gundam Astray was repaired and refitted, Xiao Ran launched again to help protect the Archangel.

• Mwu told Xiao Ran she had begun relying on him and realized she liked him, then urged him to escape if the Archangel's situation became hopeless.
• The Archangel shook, and Xiao Ran and Mwu fell; Xiao Ran pulled Mwu close and kissed her before she reminded him that the battle was no time for more.
• Mwu returned to the bridge, and Xiao Ran reflected on her distress and his uncertainty about how to handle their relationship.
• Maddock told Xiao Ran that the Gundam Astray was ready, with its damaged shrapnel removed and an energy backpack installed in place of its Flight Pack.
• Xiao Ran launched the Black Astray after Mwu told him to be careful.

Xiao Ran fought off the ZAFT forces in the Black Astray while the Archangel's outnumbered team faced attacks from Bakus and DEENs. After destroying a Baku, Xiao Ran's piloting skill briefly reached 100 before dropping again, and the chapter ended as he made a last-second move against an incoming shell.

• Xiao Ran surveyed the battlefield and saw that ZAFT still had more units, with the Duel Gundam and Buster Gundam still unaccounted for.
• Xiao Ran dodged a Baku's attacks and fired at it, but could not close the distance as another Baku moved in to help surround him.
• Xiao Ran used intense concentration to aim at the approaching Baku and destroyed it, earning 500 Merit Points as his piloting skill rose to 100 and then fell to 99.
• Xiao Ran's Black Astray crashed to the ground, and he triggered Spirit Burst to get it upright and raise its shield against an incoming shell.
• Xiao Ran made the Black Astray move at the last moment as the shell struck, while voices cried out in alarm.

After the Black Astray was struck, the Archangel crew feared Xiao Ran had been killed, while Kira and Mu fought with renewed fury. Xiao Ran briefly contacted the Archangel to say he was alive, then passed out from his injuries.

• Mu attacked the DEEN with the Skygrasper, and Kira entered SEED Mode and destroyed three Ginns.
• Miriallia and the Archangel crew saw the Black Astray explode and believed Xiao Ran was dead, but the battered machine remained intact.
• The Archangel detected ZAFT battleships and the Buster and Duel Gundams behind it, and Bargyll ordered evasive action and a counterattack.
• Mu and Cagalli destroyed a DEEN, while Mu flew toward the rear battleships and Cagalli stayed to support Kira and the Archangel.
• Luo sent a public-channel warning that he was collecting junk, and Mwu replied that the Black Astray should leave the combat zone.
• Xiao Ran told Miriallia he was alive, then lost consciousness after the injuries inside the cockpit overwhelmed him.

Luo and the Junk Guild rescued the badly wounded Xiao Ran from the Black Astray while the Archangel and ZAFT continued fighting. After the Black Astray was dismantled and loaded onto a transport truck, Luo carried Xiao Ran away for treatment, and the Archangel learned that he was alive.

• An Engineering Ginn and a transport truck reached the Black Astray as both sides avoided attacking them and continued their battle.
• Andrew Waltfeld and Aisha redirected ZAFT's focus toward the Strike Gundam and the Archangel, while Mwu hoped the rescue would reach Xiao Ran in time.
• Luo used Little 8 to remove a fragment from the Black Astray's cockpit, found Xiao Ran unconscious and bleeding, and began treating his many wounds with help from Juri and Liam.
• Little 8 dismantled the Black Astray and loaded its parts onto the transport truck while Luo carried Xiao Ran into the Engineering Ginn's cockpit.
• Miriallia displayed a message confirming Xiao Ran was alive, and Luo took him away for treatment.

Xiao Ran woke after being injured and told Luo to intervene in the expected duel between Kira and the Tiger before passing out again. He later awoke in a hospital in Orb, where Erica Simmons welcomed him home as Major Xiao Ran.

• Yamakiburi Juri and Luo treated Xiao Ran's wounds while he was unconscious, and he woke in severe pain.
• Xiao Ran asked Luo to stop Kira and the Tiger from fighting, then fainted after Yamakiburi Juri sedated him.
• Luo left to help his friend, while Yamakiburi Juri continued removing fragments from Xiao Ran's wounds.
• Xiao Ran awoke in a hospital room, saw Orb outside the window, and wondered how he had gotten there from North Africa.
• Erica Simmons introduced herself as Head of Development at Akatsuki Works and welcomed Major Xiao Ran back to his homeland.

After recovering in Akatsuki Works, Xiao Ran learned that the Junk Guild had brought him and the Black Astray to Orb. Erica Simmons asked him to unlock the machine, but he refused until he could speak with Luo, and she appealed to his loyalty to Orb.

• Erica Simmons greeted Xiao Ran and gave him an Akatsuki Works uniform after confirming that his injuries had healed.
• Erica took Xiao Ran through the factory on Yukunagoro Island and told him he had been unconscious for seven days.
• Xiao Ran realized that the Junk Guild had brought him to Orb and learned they had offered something Akatsuki Works could not refuse.
• Erica showed Xiao Ran a hidden underground warehouse filled with M1 Astray mecha and a Black Astray under repair.
• Erica asked Xiao Ran to reactivate the Black Astray and remove its lock, but Xiao Ran refused until he could meet Luo.
• Erica asked whether Xiao Ran had ever considered doing something for Orb, and Xiao Ran fell silent.

Xiao Ran let Erica inspect the Black Astray’s OS, then discussed Luo and the machine’s modifications with her over a meal. Erica reminded Xiao Ran that Orb considered the Black Astray its secret and expected it to remain under Orb’s control.

• Erica asked Xiao Ran to let Akatsuki Works examine the Black Astray’s OS, and he agreed that they could copy it.
• Xiao Ran started the Black Astray, bypassing the lock Luo had placed on its system, and Akatsuki Works copied its data.
• Erica took Xiao Ran to the cafeteria and provided food suited to his weakened condition.
• Xiao Ran asked about Luo, and Erica explained that he was preparing work on the floating island, improving Orb’s OS, and designing Astray backpacks.
• Xiao Ran said he wanted Luo to modify the Black Astray, but Erica argued that the machine was an Orb secret and should be piloted by an Orb pilot.

Xiao Ran worried that the Sahak Family was trying to recruit or threaten him, so he deferred Erica Simmons's invitation and asked to meet Uzummi Yula Asaha after revealing that he knew where Cagalli was. Uzummi summoned him that night, and the chapter ended as he apologized for bringing Xiao Ran in because he was anxious about his daughter.

• Xiao Ran considered the danger posed by the Sahak siblings and told Erica Simmons he needed time to think about her invitation.
• Erica drove Xiao Ran back to the hospital, where he asked her to arrange a meeting with Uzummi Yula Asaha and hinted that he knew Cagalli's whereabouts.
• Erica agreed to contact Uzummi, and Xiao Ran waited tensely in his hospital room for a response.
• Uzummi arranged to meet Xiao Ran that same night, and two bodyguards escorted him from Akatsuki Works to a castle-like building.
• Xiao Ran entered Uzummi's room, and Uzummi apologized, explaining that a father's anxiety for his daughter had brought him there.

Xiao Ran told Representative Asaha that Cagalli had boarded the Archangel and explained why Orb could become a refuge for the ship and its crew. Asaha invited Xiao Ran to join the Orb Defense Force, and Xiao Ran used his discharge notice to switch factions and retain his rank as major.

• Xiao Ran confirmed to Asaha that Cagalli was aboard the Archangel and suggested it would likely stop in Orb for supplies.
• Xiao Ran asked whether Director Symonds’s invitation to join Orb reflected Asaha’s wishes and explained that he wanted to leave the Earth Force.
• Xiao Ran warned Asaha that Orb’s neutrality and mass drivers could make it a target, and offered Orb G Series technology, PS Armor, OS support, and a battleship in exchange for joining.
• Xiao Ran said he would leave and reclaim the Black Astray if Asaha had not intended to recruit him.
• Asaha formally invited Xiao Ran to join the Orb Defense Force, and Xiao Ran used the Earth Force Discharge Notice to switch factions as a major.

Xiao Ran tested the M1 Astray OS with Luo at Akatsuki Works while waiting for the Archangel to reach Orb. He operated under a fabricated identity and wore a mask to conceal himself, and Director Symonds told him his customized machine was nearly complete.

• Asachi, Julie, and Mayura watched Luo and the masked Major Xiao fight in M1 Astrays, and discussed Xiao’s assignment and the Black Astray being modified for him.
• Luo complained that the repeated combat tests were boring, while Xiao said their OS could only be piloted by the two of them until another person arrived.
• Symonds ended the test and asked Xiao to inspect his nearly completed machine and request any needed changes.
• Xiao wondered why the Archangel had not reached Orb after hearing it had suffered severe damage in a battle with ZAFT near Malacca.
• Xiao’s narration revealed that he had joined Orb’s Special Operations Department as Major Xiao, adopted a mask and fabricated identity, and given Asaha a copy of the Strike Gundam data while requesting a full overhaul of the Black Astray.

Xiao Ran oversaw a major overhaul of the Black Astray, with Erica and Luo helping turn his requirements into a nearly completed machine. After inspecting its new armor, weapons, and power systems, Xiao Ran was extremely satisfied.

• Xiao Ran requested PS Armor, a reinforced frame, more battery capacity, a high-speed Flight Pack, combined Beam Rifles, and Physical Swords for the Black Astray.
• Asaha and Erica approved Xiao Ran's proposals, and Erica and Luo invited Luo to help with the modifications.
• Over more than ten days, Akatsuki Works overhauled the Black Astray with redesigned armor, PS Armor, and a Flight Pack carrying extra batteries and thrusters.
• Xiao Ran recognized the Beam Rifles and the concealed sword sheaths on the machine's legs, and Luo explained that they held a pair of Physical Swords.
• Erica described the Black Astray's three battery packs and weapon systems, and Xiao Ran declared himself extremely satisfied.

Xiao Ran learned that the badly damaged Archangel was fighting ZAFT near Orb and struggled to resist his urge to sortie in the Black Astray. After Orb’s fleet helped the ship reach safety, Xiao Ran waited at a concealed dock as the Archangel arrived.

• Erica informed Xiao Ran that the Archangel was under attack by ZAFT forces and had sustained severe damage, while Orb dispatched a fleet to assist it.
• Xiao Ran watched reconnaissance footage of the Archangel’s battle and saw the Strike Gundam and Skygrasper protect the damaged ship as it approached Orb’s territorial waters.
• After Orb’s fleet opened fire, Xiao Ran hurried to a concealed dock and learned from Erica that the Archangel had disengaged, its fires were under control, and rescue crews were evacuating the wounded.
• Xiao Ran chose not to board or reveal his identity, then waited at the dock while the Archangel entered and slowly approached its berth.

Xiao Ran reunited with Mwu, Mu, and Bargyll in Orb and warned them that the Earth Force might betray the Archangel after it reached Alaska. He secured their agreement to let Kira assist Orb with technical work, then met Mwu at the dock the next morning.

• Xiao Ran removed his mask and revealed himself to Mwu, Mu, and Bargyll, explaining that he had joined Orb after being wounded and sent there for treatment.
• Xiao Ran warned the three that the Earth Force might isolate, break up, or abandon the Archangel and urged them to consider Orb as an escape route.
• Mwu agreed that Kira would help Orb develop an OS for Naturals and provide the Strike Gundam's combat data in exchange for repairs and supplies.
• Xiao Ran told Mwu he would pick her up the next day, then reported the Archangel's agreement to Asaha and Erica.
• The next morning, Xiao Ran went to the dock, saw the Strike Gundam leave, and met Mwu in casual clothes.

Xiao Ran reunited with Mwu, opened up about his mysterious past, and spent a fulfilling stretch of time supporting her and Kira while training and improving the Black Astray. As the Archangel finished repairs and prepared to sail, Xiao Ran realized his days with Mwu were about to end.

• Xiao Ran embraced Mwu after she arrived at the dock, then took her to a quiet cliffside where she asked about his identity and he claimed he was a failed Enhanced Human who had escaped and hidden in Orb.
• Mwu told Xiao Ran she believed him, and she agreed to go with him someday if he asked, though Xiao Ran admitted he did not know how he could take her to another world.
• Xiao Ran visited Kira at the factory, listened to his feelings about Flay, Cagalli, Sai, and the loneliness of battle, and advised him through his troubles.
• Xiao Ran began meeting Mwu each morning, helping Kira rewrite the Black Astray's OS, studying military matters, and training at night until his physical attributes and Accuracy improved.
• When Mwu told Xiao Ran that the repaired Archangel was preparing to set sail, he realized their peaceful time together was ending.

Mwu led the Archangel out of Orb toward Alaska despite Xiao Ran’s warning that the ship would be betrayed, while Xiao Ran launched the Black Astray to protect it. He caught up as ZAFT’s larger-than-expected force began attacking, then prepared a high-speed surprise strike against the DEENs threatening the Archangel.

• Mwu ordered the Archangel to leave Orb territorial waters for Alaska, and Kira prepared the Strike Gundam to defend the ship.
• Xiao Ran saluted the departing Archangel, then received Erica’s confirmation that his Black Astray unit was ready to sortie.
• Xiao Ran launched the Black Astray with its upgraded Flight Pack and rapidly followed the Archangel’s route.
• Xiao Ran found ZAFT attacking with two submarine carriers, three DEENs, two aquatic Ginns, and the Aegis, Buster, Duel, and Blitz Gundams.
• Xiao Ran saw the DEENs closing on the Archangel and accelerated the Black Astray into a subsonic dive to surprise them.

Xiao Ran piloted Black Astray into the battle and destroyed two DEENs, one of them piloted by an enemy participant. After Black Astray plunged into the sea, Xiao Ran checked the cost of his Mental Power burst and began bringing the machine back to the surface.

• Xiao Ran used a Mental Power burst to overcome the difficulty of piloting Black Astray and fired on a DEEN as he charged into battle.
• Kira attacked Yzak’s Duel Gundam, but Yzak evaded the first beam and blocked Strike Gundam’s Beam Saber.
• Xiao Ran destroyed two DEENs with Black Astray’s Beam Rifles and Beam Sabers before skimming across the sea and plunging underwater.
• Bargyll ordered the Skygrasper launched after Black Astray destroyed the DEENs.
• Xiao Ran saw that the burst had reduced his Mental Power from 11 to 6 and learned that one destroyed DEEN had belonged to an enemy participant.
• Xiao Ran operated Black Astray’s thrusters to bring it back toward the ocean surface.